Dearest Friends
by Azure129
Summary: Jack and Sally have finally realized they're meant to be…but what's next? Jack has never 'courted' a lady before, and Sally still can't believe he actually loves her back! Jack's solution is to sneak off for romance advice to the holiday land with a heart-shaped door, leading him to some very odd behavior. Sally tries to be patient. But eventually something has to give. JackXSally.
1. Jack & Sally, Part 1

**A/N:**

Hi there! My name's **Azure129**, and I hope everybody is doing well. I'm a longtime TNBC fan, a longtime JackXSally fan, a longtime fan fiction writer in general, and I'm excited to start posting in this fandom. I hope anyone who reads my stories will enjoy them and will please review if you can! Mostly I'll be posting oneshots, but this will be a full-length story. It's my take on Jack and Sally trying to sort out their new relationship in the aftermath of Christmas—there'll be some 'other holiday world' shenanigans, some misunderstandings, a little drama, a lot of romantic tension, and a little stuff with Doctor Finkelstein and Jewel too. I hope you'll all enjoy : ) I have a complete draft of this story done (each chapter just needs editing) so updates should be fairly regular.

These first two chapters involve quite a bit of flashbacks and Jack and Sally teasing out their feelings, but after this the action starts, I promise!

Thank you for reading!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 1:**

**Jack &amp; Sally, Part 1**

* * *

_T'was a long time ago, though not as long as it seems,  
__In a place that you've certainly seen in your dreams.  
__For the story that you are about to be told,  
__Takes place in…one or two…of the holiday worlds of old.  
__Now you've probably wondered about Jack and Sally after their kiss—  
__May I present a small idea for their courtship that goes something like this…._

* * *

"There are few who deny, at what I do, I am the best,  
For my talents are renowned far and wide.  
When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night,  
I excel without ever even trying.

"With the slightest little effort of my ghostlike charms,  
I have seen grown men give out a shriek.  
With a wave of my hand and a well placed moan,  
I have swept the very bravest off their feet.

"And year after year, I'll admit it's fun,  
For few things can compare with the sound of screams.  
But I, Jack, the Pumpkin King,  
Wonder if I could succeed at…another 'scary' thing.

"Oh somewhere deep inside of these bones  
A new feeling has found its home.  
There's someone out there whom my heart knows,  
A lady to woo who cares for me so….

"I'm the master of fright and a demon of light,  
And I'll scare you right out of your shoes.  
Yes, any creature around fears by me to be found,  
And laments its fate by singing the blues.

"And since my life is null, I can take off my skull,  
To recite, or simply to astound you.  
My incorporeal charms, they soon disarm  
The most daring victims. Oh yes, it's true.

"But who here would ever understand  
That the Pumpkin King with the skeletal grin  
Would have a secret fear that he pauses to unfurl,  
For terror alone never charmed a girl.

"Oh there's an empty place in my bones  
That calls out for…something now quite known.  
And will I be able to do this right?  
Or must ever I be a lonely creature of the night…?"

Have you ever been suddenly thrust into a new place in your life and both frightened and amazed out of your wits by the surprise of it all?

Jack Skellington _thought_ such an event had occurred to him once: back when he had stumbled through a shiny, tree-shaped door in the forest and found himself in a glowing place called Christmas Town.

But now, however, he knew better. That place had merely been a delight: a _novel_ delight, but a delight nonetheless—a free and clear, no obligations, no real investment, and (seemingly) no risk pleasure cruise. He had already done a holiday before after all—why not have some fun and try a new one? And even if all the details of such a switch didn't turn out to be perfect, things would still work out okay enough, right? They had to. After all, he'd had such good intentions for Christmas. Of course, in the end, his efforts with that jolly holiday had ultimately led to a fiasco, but at least Santa had fixed things, and now all the holidays could know each other and everyone was happy. And a safer attempt at Christmas could always be tried again next year in Halloween Town (Santa would still be controlling the main holiday, of course, but a small celebration could still occur in Jack's town nonetheless).

Enough reminiscing, though. As Jack had just admitted to himself, he had _thought_ that stumbling upon Christmas Town had been some sort of take-your-nonexistent breath-away experience…

But now he knew that he had been (pardon the pun) dead wrong.

In point of fact, his actions last night of walking up a hill in the moonlight, taking Sally in his arms and kissing her lips had proved a _significantly_ more terrifying and brain-boggling experience than _anything_ else he had ever gone through in centuries of 'death'.

Jack, sitting atop Spiral Hill in the snow at this time (where he had just finished delivering his newest little lament to himself and the moon and his faithful ghost dog Zero), sighed and rubbed one of his temples with a few bony fingertips, cringing a tiny bit. He was still trying to sort out all of this Sally stuff in his mind, which was why he had gotten up just before dawn on this Christmas day and sort of 'snuck off' to the Hinterlands to be alone. It wasn't that he was avoiding other people and Sally—all right, fine, he _was_ 'sort of' avoiding them…especially maybe her—but he needed time alone to think because honestly he had no idea what to do about Sally or what to do about what had happened last night between them. After all, they had barely even had time to say anything about it after their kiss had occurred. They had pulled apart a little and had just started to try and say something to one another, but then suddenly they had heard the town celebration starting to extend out into the pumpkin patch and then graveyard…which would lead them all to Spiral Hill soon. And what in the world would everyone say if they caught Jack and Sally…together?

They had both realized the situation and blinked a few times, and Jack recalled being about to suggest to her that they hide or something when Sally had reached out and placed a single fingertip across his skeletal grin (which had caused a lot of fluttery and unfamiliar feelings to go through Jack, to say the least). She had merely whispered a 'Shh…' and then she gave him a smile and gestured with her head back toward town and his house. Jack had turned to look over his shoulder and realized that she meant he was probably wanted among the citizens (who had only just now, after all, joyously discovered that he wasn't 'blown to smithereens') and also that it was late and he should probably go home soon, especially after a long night like this one. But then Jack had turned back to her to nod but also to ask her…well…well, the doctor seemed to have a new helper, so Jack had to wonder where she might go now to sleep…to live…. And he had a small hope about a certain solution to that problem, though the idea of outright suggesting it to so suddenly her terrified all the sense of decorum he had. Anyway, he had turned back to her to start trying to make his suggestion, but then he had blinked. She was gone! She had somehow quickly slipped away down the now unfurled spiral of the hill, and he saw her running off in the snow and the moonlight toward the outskirts of the woods near a few old headstones. He thought he had seen herbs growing there, though he couldn't recall….

Anyway, the townspeople had come upon him just then, and so Jack had had to turn away from the path of Sally's escape and to depart with his fellow citizens for a while. However, the moment the party started to die down and every person seemed perfectly at ease once more, Jack had instantly gone off to look for Sally. He hadn't been able to find her though, at least, not until he had returned home rather late…and the saxophone player from the band had stopped him and gestured with his head off to a corner inside the gate of Jack's manor. There Jack finally found Sally. She was sleeping lying against stone wall and the gate, just snuggling up with some old leaves and a little black cat dozing in her lap.

Jack, naturally, had frozen. What to do, what to do? He didn't want to wake her, and, even if he had woken her, where could he suggest she go? He felt some embarrassment again at the idea of bringing up the 'obvious' solution. If she herself had asked to be allowed to stay with him, he certainly would have obliged of course, but…but on his own to wake her and insist she go alone with him up to his house at night, and after what they had just done together? The notion made him feel so awkward. All of his sensibilities felt challenged. And what if she liked him so much that the moment she came inside she popped herself right into his bed and smiled and pulled back the covers for him to join her and then spent the whole night hugging and cuddling him in her sleep? Jack actually couldn't breathe at the fantastic notion. He had taken a moment to compose himself by leaning against the gate a little, and then he had looked to his house, really considering what to…

It had hit him then.

He had quickly gone inside and then a few minutes later he came out with several warm blankets which he gently laid around Sally and the cat. Then he had raced back inside, and soon the window to his tower was opened and Jack let drop down from it a sturdy rope ladder. Jack then climbed down the ladder to land outside once more, and then he grabbed the end of the rope ladder and pulled it so that it would be as near Sally as possible. He hoped that would be okay—she would be warmer now because of the blankets and when she woke up on her own from her rest (she had been through so much, he hated the idea of disturbing her sleep) she could now easily get inside. And also the tower was sort of a compromise regarding their new potential living arrangements in a way—it could be like her own little tiny house attached to his house rather than having the two of them living directly side by side in the main part of the manor after only a few hours of courtship.

Jack had known that the next thing he had to do was go back inside and set up the tower for her with a fire and a soft, makeshift bed and maybe some tea in a kettle just in case. Yet, for just one more moment he had lingered, looking down at her. The little cat stretched in its sleep and Sally smiled at its movement, her pretty red lips turning upwards. Jack so very much wanted to kiss those lips again all of a sudden…. He came closer but paused, turning away. He felt awkward about the idea of trying to 'sneak' a kiss with her. No, no, he had decided, he would just have to wait until…until…well, he wasn't sure, come to think of it. He wasn't sure what to say or do about any of this. All he had known was that he had to be careful because he could feel that this thing between them was fragile…and yet he wanted it to work and last between them so very much.

And so last night Jack had left Sally in that state and had set everything up for her in the tower. Then he had turned in himself, though he ended up having such a restless night of half-dreaming all the ways he could bungle this new relationship with her that he had finally abandoned his bed before sunrise to come here to the hill where he had sat down in the soft snow and sung his new lament…and now here he was.

And the first thing Jack figured he should try and figure out now was how in the heck had this happened? When exactly had he—the master of fright…the demon of light…the Pumpkin King—fallen for the rag doll Sally? Jack gave Zero a gentle scratch behind the ears and settled into deep thought.

When had he first developed romantic feelings for her? Everything lately had been such a whirlwind, he doubted the exact moment would be easy to pinpoint. He knew he hadn't cared for her that way from the start, though he had always liked her, of course. They had always been friends. And he had always found her clever and bright…and funny…and sort of sweet…and, well…pretty. He mumbled to himself, his smile looking a little dreamy. "That red yarn hair…those big eyes that glow…the way even a simple dress made of rags falls so lovely upon her, and…"

"Arf?" Zero barked softly, raising an eyebrow at his master's sudden strange words.

Jack blinked at the sound, suddenly realizing his thoughts were turning down a very 'distracting' road. He quickly cleared his throat, went back to giving Zero the occasional pet, and did his best to focus again. "Okay, so…I've always liked her and we've always been friends." He nodded to himself. Yes, that much was certain.

So now to determine where the other feelings had come into play.

Clearly, something about all of this crazy Christmas stuff had done it. Her questioning of his plans for Christmas at the start, for example, had made him feel…well…from any other citizen, such resistance and doubt might have made him a little sad, but from her, frankly, it had been like a little challenge, like something to prove to her. And he had liked the idea of that. But did that strange interaction signify romance in any way? Jack shook his skull to himself. "No, no, that's just…our relationship, I guess. We don't always agree when we talk, but we always manage to work things out in the end."

Okay so then perhaps his 'more than liking' for her had come later, during his grand ride in the sleigh as he had finally gotten to fulfill his intended portrayal of Sandy Claws. When the sleigh had blown up, Sally _had_ been a thought to go through his mind. He had sort of wanted to apologize to her for disappointing her and for letting the suit she had worked so hard to make for him get ruined and for not realizing that she had been right about Christmas being a bad idea for him to do until it had been too late.

All right, perhaps having her as a major thought on his mind during a near death experience signified a very heightened level of friendship and caring for her on his part. But did such an attachment make him want a kiss from her? Jack considered seriously, but then a slow shake of his skull followed. "No, it…I just…she really has been my dearest friend—someone who respects my privacy and treats me like a real person before she treats me like a King and who always has a kind word for me. It was more all of that making me think of her than anything else, I guess. I was just going to miss her so much."

So then something after all of that insanity must have been what had pushed him over the edge about his feelings for her. "Maybe it was during my rescue of her and Sandy from Oogie Boogie," Jack pondered to himself, looking up to the moon, and trying not to cringe a little at some of the memories from that particular portion of his Christmas adventure.

To begin with, surprisingly, though Oogie had more than had it coming and though there really hadn't been much of a choice (if he had escaped, he would have certainly broken right into the town and started terrorizing everyone horribly, and NOT in the good way) Jack did feel a little bad about having to end him so permanently. Jack didn't like violence: at all. And he had given Oogie chance after chance for centuries to reform his bad behavior, even letting him have a small part in the Halloween celebrations every year despite their past grievances. But really this time the creature had gone too far: trying to cause significant harm to citizens who were technically already dead had always been bad enough, but he had gone completely off the deep end and tried to destroy a living, breathing holiday leader! Santa Claus! He had tried to murder and eat him! And totally without any provocation on top of it all! At that point last night Jack had just known that there was no hope for reforming Oogie; there was only containing him, which seemed to have finally run its course as an option, or taking on the responsibility of ending him once and for all for the good of everyone.

Even still, Jack probably would have been inclined to be a bit more hesitant about that latter, permanent option had it not been for finding Sally trapped in Oogie's lair along with Sandy. Terrorizing a defenseless holiday leader was cruel, but on top of that, that despicable creature had been trying to harm good, innocent, blameless Sally too! Sally—one of the best people Jack knew, his dear, dear friend who had only wanted to help him. What kind of sick creature would try to destroy all of that loveliness? Destroy and eat and….

Jack blinked: perhaps that had been the moment…the moment when he had known how he felt about her.

Jack sighed though and shook his head to himself. "But no. That's close but…I was more full of rage and passion and desperation than anything else. I didn't have time to let something softer in…."

Jack went back to his memories, continuing his attempt to piece out how had he had gone from obsessing over Christmas to obsessing over Sally.

Okay, so, after arriving in the lair, Jack had whisked Sally and Sandy into hiding and then fought Oogie—definitely no time for thinking about romance then. Though Jack did blanche a tiny bit now (his skull turning a little paler at his cheeks) as he suddenly realized that during their fight, part of his reason for putting on such a bold and skillful and flashy performance of his prowess might have been a sudden (if unrealized until now) desire to, well…impress his 'damsel in distress' a little. Jack had to roll his eye sockets now at the idea of such ridiculous behavior on his part, regardless of how subconsciously fueled it might have been at the time. But at least this realization suggested to him that he was getting closer to pinpointing when exactly his romantic feelings for Sally had fully blossomed.

Jack let out a deep breath and went back to sifting through his memories. All right, so, he had fought and defeated Oogie Boogie, and then he had apologized to Sandy. He'd _had_ to address poor Mr. Claus first considering the horrible mess he had made of his holiday and how little time was left to save Christmas. And Sandy had yelled at him, which Jack had expected naturally, though honestly overall Mr. Claus had been very kind about the whole situation. And he had even brought snow to Halloween Town that night, which had been a very nice gesture, and which Jack hoped was a good sign of their two worlds being able to make amends very soon.

But anyway, getting back to the next part of Jack's memories, when all the anger and fear and worry had been over and Oogie was no more and Sandy had left…Jack and Sally had found themselves all alone in the lair.

Sally spoke first—she had come forward and assured Jack that everything would be all right. And Jack had felt such appreciation for her words. She was showing him such kindness, even after he had put her through such a horrible, harrowing experience. She was there for him and just doing her best to make him feel better.

He recalled being confused in that moment—what in the world had she been doing down here with Sandy? He had turned to her and smiled. She was there and safe—who could help smiling? And then he had asked her how she had gotten down there.

Sally had started to mumble a reply, looking down, smiling, wringing her hands…

Jack's smile had grown, and he had suggested that maybe she had wanted to help him?

She had turned away in shyness, though she was beaming now, and had started to say how she couldn't let him just…just…

She couldn't let him just…. Jack knew now. She couldn't let him just…fail at all of this, as he inevitably must have, without being there for him to help fix things or to comfort him if he couldn't…or for both reasons…or even for something more. Oh, and why had she had to turn away from him so shyly like that while speaking? It was so cute, so coy! He had reached out and touched her shoulder, turning her around so he could look at that kind face of hers once more! He just…and she…. And Jack recalled that he had realized something about her in that moment that he had always suspected a little. He knew that most of the women in town—okay, all of them—had crushes on him…obsessions, really…and he had figured sometimes from the way she smiled at him or from her shyness (like when she had delivered him that little basket before Christmas and then run off before he could thank her) that Sally might sort of be partial to him too. Yes, truly, she would only be acting this way around him now if she had those feelings for him. And yet at the same time she was different from all of the other women. Indeed, Jack had never encountered another lady who knew him and his mind so well and who treasured them so deeply. She had seen every footfall in his plans, anticipated every risk, and done all she could to save Christmas from him and him from himself. She had challenged him and his own obsession, not just blindly followed him out of politeness and devotion to him as King. She liked him…a lot. A whole lot, it seemed.

And in the moment Jack had just wanted to know more about her feelings and more about her. He had wanted to go off with her and talk with her and to see her smile and to hold her and apologize for everything and… 'Sally,' he had begun, moving closer, smiling more, 'I can't believe I never realized that you—'

And then Jack had been cut off in the midst of this wonderful moment of realization by the Mayor and Lock, Shock and Barrel showing up with a VERY bright light shining right down into their faces. The group had cried out in joy at finding him and then dropped a rope down into the lair. Jack had felt so distinctly frustrated in that moment. He had been on the verge of something and it had been interrupted and—but there was no time for that now, they had to get out of here and let the town know they were all okay! Jack had grabbed the rope and pulled Sally along, and they had been whisked away and into the Mayor's car for a bumpy and noisy ride back to town (full of the lamentations of Lock, Shock and Barrel for having disobeyed Jack—he had just let them off, too tired to deal with them and having many other things on his mind at the moment. Oogie would have gotten to Santa one way or another probably anyway).

Jack, in the present and still sitting on the snow on Spiral Hill with Zero, let out a sigh that became a puff of cold in the early morning air. All right, so it seemed that, in a nutshell, the groundwork for romance between himself and Sally had been set with their initial close friendship. He had then developed a very particular liking for her during the course of that friendship and especially during the Christmas fiasco that he couldn't quite explain. And he had finally become aware of this deeper liking both while nearly dying during his sleigh ride and while saving Sally and Sandy from Oogie. He had then realized the depth of _her_ feelings for _him_ during their moment alone at the end of the fight, and then finally he had also realized he liked those feelings and wanted to know more about them and her just before they had been rescued.

That didn't leave many opportunities for him discovering his own feelings prior to their kiss.

Though, suddenly, Jack had a pretty good idea when that discovery might have occurred.

Strangely enough, now he was remembering seeing Dr. Finkelstein and his new creation…his 'precious Jewel'…together in the town square during the party celebrating his own safe return. Jack hadn't been able to describe his surprise at the sight of the doctor with a new companion. Had all of Sally's defiance, and so much of it for his sake, really led her to lose her home and the protection of her creator? What a sad thing, Jack had thought to himself at first….

But then he had noticed Sally slipping away from town and toward the graveyard and Spiral Hill.

He had been curious for a moment—she must have seen the Doctor and Jewel, yet Sally didn't seem sad about anything. Actually she had seemed to be smiling as she had left.

But why smile?

Jack had had to take a break of several minutes from the festivities to ponder a solution to this question.

And then a realization had occurred to him that had made him gulp and sent shivers—spine tingling shivers—all up and down him.

Despite everything, could Sally really just be glad that she had helped him and that he was safe? Could his welfare and her peace with having done what was right at all costs really be the source of happiness that kept her going past all else?

The realization was enough to drop a man to his knees.

Yes, Jack knew now, in the present, that moment had been '_the_ moment'—finding himself so very at the center of Sally's heart like that and finding her heart to be such a warm and welcoming place. In that moment he had just felt so…so for the taking…so for _her_ taking…and he had finally wanted her for his taking as well. He had pursued her before he could think twice about it, moving swiftly and quietly through the snow, wanting to see the pretty girl who adored him so and without whom he might have no longer existed and who was starting to feel like one of the biggest purposes for his existence the more he thought about her.

Jack had found her sitting upon that hill then…and he had felt so frightened. He wanted her. He wanted her in ways he had never wanted anything or anyone. His wanting of Christmas had echoed it somewhat but…but no, this was his desire and longing and passion in their purest forms. And if Dr. Finkelstein would no longer be this sweet creature's protector, then he, Jack Skellington, would certainly take a crack at it…if she would have him, of course.

He had taken a very deep breath. And then he had started singing to her, cooing softly, but pausing at the base of the hill until she might invite him up to join her.

Sally had remained still at first. Then she had stood and turned and sang back, beckoning him with her voice, clear as crisp midnight air, sharp as a silver crescent moon.

Soon he had been with her and then he would kiss her and then…

In the present, Jack had closed his eye sockets and puckered his lips and he was leaning his skull outwards and tilting it to the side, reliving the memory. Oh how sweet their embrace had been. Better than the kissing looked in Christmas Town. On the cheek—please! No, he'd had her full, red, ravishing lips under his skeletal grin! And, to finish up the timeline, at that moment along with knowing both her feelings and knowing his own, he had realized that he simply could never let her go now that they had found each other. He needed her for now and forever…dearest friend. And if there had been time he would have given in to every romantic compulsion suddenly coursing through himself and let them collapse together to the snow in kisses, not stopping until dawn had pulled them back to the reality of their lives…

"Arf?"

A shuddery sigh escaped Jack and he finally opened his eye sockets and blinked a few times. Then glanced to the side in shyness, finally coming completely back to the present moment. "Oh, erm…sorry, Zero. I was just…thinking…and I suppose I got a little carried away." Jack noticed that in his distraction he had even traced a little heart in the snow with one of his fingertips.

Zero looked at him curiously and then nuzzled close to him comfortingly.

Jack smiled at the sweet gesture. "Thank you, boy. I'm alright now though, I promise." Jack let out another breath and then pushed himself up from the snow and dusted himself off a little. "I'm just a little worried about going back to Sally, Zero. I don't really know what I ought to do. I just want her to be comfortable and happy…but I also want to just sing my deepest feelings to her in a burst of affection!" He chuckled, smiling a little dreamily, and gave a twirl in the snow.

"Arf, arf!" Zero barked happily at the idea, turning in mid air himself.

Jack sighed though now, a frown coming to his face. "But Zero, I can't do that. What if it's too much for her? You know how shy she is. I just…I just wish I could find some advice about all of this—about how to handle courting a lady. And about what in the world a woman would want from me…."

Zero frowned a little too at his master's frowning. The last time Jack had been sad, he had gone off on a long walk and found a certain place and, well…everyone knew the rest.

Jack sighed, looking pensive now, and paced a little in the snow. "But where to find information on ladies and true affection and courtship? No one around here ever seemed very keen on those things. And I can't go to the real world and ask anyone. A talking skeleton—I'll get bombs shot at me again."

"Arf, arf!" Zero barked, suggesting something.

Jack smiled for a moment but then had to shake his head at the little dog's idea. "That's a good idea, Zero, Sandy probably would have some good advice to give, especially since his holiday involves loving and caring for others so much. But I can't bother him with a visit so soon after all the mess I caused and all the time he had to spend fixing his holiday. I'm sure he needs all the rest he can get." Jack sighed. "And even though the rest of the holidays and ours will probably be getting to know one another soon, it's not like I know any one in any of the other worlds that I could ask. I mean, maybe I could _try_ asking or at least try gathering some information myself if one of their worlds was exactly focused on…on…" It was then, looking downward, his pacing suddenly ceasing, that Jack's gaze caught sight of his little tracing of a heart in the snow. And then he remembered something. And then he was exactly torn between thinking the idea that had just popped into his head was the most brilliant notion he had ever conceived and thinking it had to be the stupidest plan of action he had ever entertained.

"Zero…" he glanced to his faithful companion hesitantly, "Do you remember how back in the holiday forest there might have been, oh, I don't know…a door shaped like a heart?" He shrugged, looking a touch sheepish.

Zero looked at Jack curiously for a moment.

And then instantly the little ghost dog was shaking his head and flying forward and grabbing a tail of Jack's suit and pulling him back to town. No, they were NOT starting with this again! Absolutely not! His master had almost gotten killed once, and he was NOT about to let that happen again!

"Zero! Wait, now, come on, boy! Just listen to me!" Jack protested earnestly, resisting Zero's tugs as best he could. "Just suppose I go there, I pop in the heart-shaped door, I don't talk to anyone, I just observe how…how things might work in a place with a heart for a door. Then I'd know how to handle things with Sally, and then I would come right back here, honest! No stealing, no interfering…just pure scientific observation! I promise!"

Zero did cease his tugs, but he still looked back to his master with concern and made unsure little barks at him. "Arf, arf! Arf…"

Jack smiled reassuringly down at the little dog. "Zero, I promise it would be all right. Look, I know my way there now, to the holiday forest. And it's still very early in the day. I could just run and take an hour or so to make my courtship observations and then run right back here—I'd be home before lunchtime. And Oogie Boogie's not even around anymore to threaten people when I'm gone, so what's the danger?" Jack smiled so hopefully and clasped his hands together, looking to his little best friend with total sincerity. "Please boy, I know it's silly but I need _some_ guidance in all of this. I'm the master of fright, after all, not the master of falling for women, remember?" He chuckled a little, doing his best to lighten the mood.

Zero still looked uneasy though of course. But then he settled on flying right up to his master's side and tucking himself under Jack's arm.

Jack patted the little dog's head but shook his skull. "No, I'm sorry, boy, I think I should go alone. To be honest, I was hoping you'd stay here and look after Sally. She'll need someone to help point out the ladder to the tower for her, and then someone to show her around the tower and keep her company and make sure she's happy until I return. All right?" He looked to Zero hopefully. "If it'll make you feel better though, you can come with me to the edge of the forest, but then please go back for her—she might wake up early, and I don't want her to be alone."

Zero frowned a little more at his master's intention to make the holiday world journey on his own, though he knew Jack was right about someone needing to stay behind. Sally really would need someone to welcome her. And so, reluctantly, Zero nodded to Jack and then flew a little ahead to start accompanying his master as far as the edge of the woods.

Jack smiled at him. "Thank you, Zero. Let's be off then." And then with a big grin Jack jumped off of the curl of Spiral Hill into the snow below and proceeded onward toward the woods as the daylight started break over the gloomy horizon, Zero at his side.

Meanwhile, poor little Zero tried to keep up his normally optimistic personality but couldn't help sighing in a touch of worry. It seemed to him that things could have been worked out just as easily by Jack if he would just go back to the house and talk to Sally about their feelings rather than starting off on a new adventure when the last one had only finished up a few hours ago. But then again his master always had insisted on doing things his own way.

Later, as he floated back home to find Sally (a little note for her and a flower now in his mouth from Jack), Zero just did his best to remind himself of all of Jack's assurances about how risk free this decision of his was and to comfort himself with the thought that if his master did end up in trouble again, at least kind and smart Sally would be close at hand to provide support and help for him once more if necessary.

* * *

**A/N:**

Well, that was chapter one, and I hope you've all enjoyed it enough to want to check out chapter two! Chapter 2 will focus on Sally just like this one focused on Jack, and then after that the story will focus on both of them together : ) Please review if you can! And thanks again for reading!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	2. Jack & Sally, Part 2

**A/N:**

Here's chapter 2! Now we get Sally's perspective on everything that happened, and her thoughts on where she and Jack should go from here. I hope you like it! Thanks for reading!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 2:**

**Jack &amp; Sally, Part 2**

* * *

Have you ever had a lovely dream? Just the loveliest dream there could ever be? Sally certainly felt like she had.

"I sense there's something in the wind  
That feels like romance is in bloom.  
Oh yes, last night I stood by him  
On a hill beneath the moon.

"There we two gazed into the stars…  
And he did notice my feelings for him.  
Finally he sees how much he means to me,  
For we are meant to be.

"He said I was his dearest friend.  
He sang such words to me, and then  
He took my hands as the snow fell…  
And there was nothing left to tell.

"With hope, I kissed the man I love.  
And now and forever we'll be together.  
Yes, it must be, now and eternally…  
Together…Jack and Sally."

Half awake, half asleep, light starting to filter past her shut eyelids, Sally finished mumbling this little new reprise of her song to herself. She was fairly certain that she had had one of those 'lovely dreams' in question—one about Jack, to be specific. She often dreamed about Jack—Jack scooping her up and carrying her off to love her forever, Jack getting down on one knee and suddenly asking her to be his bride, she and Jack sitting by a fire in his…their…house with little skeletons and maybe a little ragdoll or two running by in play—princes and princesses for the Pumpkin King and Queen. However, Sally had to admit that the particular dream she'd just had had felt quite different than her usual nightly fantasies.

Indeed, last night's 'dream' about kissing Jack atop Spiral Hill had been much less extreme than other dreams of hers, and yet…there had been a certain 'potency' to it, a certain something so akin to the real that it made her almost swoon. She had always imagined the feel of his skeletal grin under her lips, and yet she had never experienced the fantasy in such detail as she had last night. She had never considered the true smoothness of his skull, the pleasant grooves of his lips, the delightful movements of his mouth, the bracing feeling of his strong arms around her soft body as he had shared with her that single kiss she so desired.

Sally trembled in her half sleep, though not from the cold…and especially not from the cold as she suddenly started to realize that she had blankets, warm blankets, wrapped all around herself. Where had they come from? Where was she? She didn't have this many blankets at Dr. Finkelstein's house, and she didn't have enough materials to stitch them up herself to use if she happened to be outside again tonight. Perhaps they were part of her dream? But no…they felt so real….

Just like Jack had felt so real.

Oh well, the point was she was warm and comfortable. Sally smiled more to herself and snuggled into her covers.

Jack…. She wanted to remember more of her dream. Well, okay, not _all_ of her dream—some parts had been rather scary and rather sad, after all: Jack's tragic sleigh ride for Christmas, the mayor announcing he had been blown to smithereens, herself and Santa being captured by Oogie Boogie. Oh, but then the loveliest parts came! Jack showing up to rescue them just in time, Sally getting to watch from the sarcophagus as Jack nimbly and swiftly outmaneuvered all Oogie could throw at him (and, though terror had been Sally's primary emotion about it all, she also hadn't been able to help finding Jack's 'moves' rather heart pounding—all of his agile grace, his boldness and daring, that stern look upon his face.)

And then, of course, there had been the loveliness of their little talk at the end of the battle. How Jack had smiled at her, come close to her, talked to her, _actually touched her!_ She had wanted it to go on, and yet if it had gone on for much longer she knew she would have utterly melted and collapsed against him and started cooing her feelings to him. Yes, he had talked to her before of course in their lives, but never so closely, so alone, so warmly…and had she mentioned the touching? She would have told him anything and everything if he had wanted—every dream, every daydream, every little emotional detail, every hope for their happy and child-filled future, she would have laid it all out at his royal feet in that moment when he had been standing alone with her in Oogie's lair and smiling kindly down at her, almost like he knew how she felt about him and found it sweet.

Which was why she had been both severely secretly relieved but also wrenchingly frustrated inside when that rescue light had interrupted them, shining brightly into their faces. Yes, it had saved her from possibly making a fool of herself and in the worst possible place, but it had also interrupted their 'moment,' and she'd never had one of those with Jack before, after all.

But then another good moment had occurred as Jack had grabbed the rope ladder and then grabbed her arm to help whisk them away to safety. _Touching_ again! And he was so strong to lift her up like that! It had even made her give a little yelp as they were rising, and Jack had smiled and pulled her extra close against him, making her just shut down inside but in the best possible way. She had felt barely able to breathe or think while lost in the safe, warm feeling of being in his embrace. And his bony chest was so inviting to be held close to. And she had wondered again in her life, secretly, at the back of her blushing mind, what his chest actually looked like and felt like. He always wore those full-length pinstripe suits, which were so dapper and so handsome looking, but she wanted to know more of those ribs that she now found herself pressed so near for the moment. Did he have feeling in them, she had to wonder to herself? And if so, then if she ever touched them…touched him…what in the world might he do?

These thoughts had passed through her head so quickly, and then suddenly they had been in the car with the Mayor and Lock, Shock and Barrel, and the three children had been talking Jack's ear off with so many apologies and the Mayor had been cheering so much about Jack's return that Sally had just sat there silently, demurely, trying not to interfere, just trying to savor the joy and relief that their Christmas had managed to end with. Jack was safe, and he had saved her, and he liked her…and he had touched her… and he almost seemed to know how particularly she might have 'liked' him but he hadn't run off in fear or given her a gentle letdown in response. There had been smiles! What more could a girl in love ask for? Well…obviously there was of course _something_ _more_ a girl in love could ask for, but Sally hadn't dared to articulate the hope to herself.

They had returned to town quickly in the car. Jack, of course, had walked off among the citizens to assure them that he was indeed all right, which had been very necessary since they had all been so very devastated by the news of his demise, herself most of all. Hearing he had been blown to smithereens while Oogie had had her on that slab…it wasn't even sadness Sally had felt, there had just been emptiness. Her dearest friend was gone. And she had almost thought that if she escaped all of this, she might very well have returned to Dr. Finkelstein and finally just accepted her life as his servant, at least for a good, long while. She would have worked faithfully, diligently, tirelessly…just kept moving…anything to keep from remembering what more she had wanted with Jack.

Despite the blankets, Sally in the present shivered in her sleep, and this time not any good kind of shiver. Her mind wandered onward now from the painful 'what ifs' of her dream….

They had come back to town, Jack had gone off. Then the snow had fallen. It had worried her for a moment—Christmassy things had brought so much risk to her town lately, after all. And yet when she had picked a flower amidst all of that white, cold loveliness, nothing bad had happened—no premonition. Actually the flower had looked rather pretty with the soft, glittery, moonlit snow upon it. Yes, this much of Christmas was all right…just a tiny bit instead of everything all at once. Sally had let out a breath and felt at peace.

Then she had heard that familiar sound…the sound of the wheelchair…Dr. Finkelstein's wheelchair.

Her first instinct was to glance up fearfully, figure out the direction in which the Doctor might be headed, and then run in the exact opposite direction!

But then Sally had caught sight of him from her place hiding near the town gate, and the first unusual thing that had made her pause in her instinct to run was the fact that he was smiling (something which the Doctor rarely did). The second thing that had given her pause was that he didn't seem to be looking around for her at all. And the third thing that had completely made her abandon any desire to flee was that he had his new creation with him, pushing him along, smiling down and doting upon him. Something about their relationship seemed to work, and he seemed happy—Sally had a very good feeling about how these two would be together. And she had wondered in a moment of curiosity, glancing at her replacement, if the Doctor would even think about her at all ever again now that he had someone new.

At first the idea had been surprisingly almost sad to Sally—losing her place, losing the protection of her creator, losing her little room with her spindly bed and thin blanket and little sewing machine and her few books, and suddenly being thrust fully into the freedom she had always craved. Yet the sadness had been very fleeting. She loved freedom and hated being the Doctor's servant. She would be all right with whatever her life had in store for her. She was young and capable and resilient—she could take care of herself.

It also had occurred to her that the only way this new situation would have made her sad would have been if Jack had not been okay and she had come back to town, ready to resume her servitude to Dr. Finkelstein, only to find her place suddenly taken. Sally knew that certainly somehow she would have gathered her courage and found a place for herself in town somewhere doing something, but she could not have imagined ever being truly happy or ever not feeling completely alone ever again.

But why dwell on all the unfortunate things that could have happened but hadn't? Everything was fine now—listen to the song! _Jack was okay! He was A-Okay!_ The one she loved was safe and happy, and she was safe and happy and free as well! As long as that was true, her life had purpose and she would be okay too.

Sally had smelled her little flower plucked from the snow, forgetting Dr. Finkelstein and his creation for the moment. In fact, right now, Sally had suddenly decided, she just wanted to be alone for a little while to absorb all the joy in her heart and also maybe to plan what she might do next with herself. She had walked over to the town gate, gently stepping through it, and snuck away from the crowd. Her thoughts bubbled and grew as she headed off into the quiet, moonlit night: perhaps, if she could get together enough materials, she might build herself a little tailor shop and sew and knit things for people to earn a living. She would have liked that. It probably would end up being much more work than serving Dr. Finkelstein had been, of course, but it would be her _own_ work and of her own free will! She would no longer have to be kept by him—she could keep herself. And maybe every once in a while Jack would come in and ask her to mend a tie or a sleeve, and he would smile at her and tell her she was clever and she might smile shyly and blush because she couldn't keep her feelings hidden much anymore, and he would have been so kind and just taken her hand and given her a small nod to let her know he understood how she felt and that it was okay and that he still wanted to be friends…and all of that would have been enough.

Her walk had taken her to Spiral Hill. She had climbed it. She wanted to sit atop it, she had decided, and admire her flower in the moonlight and the soft glow of the new mantle of snow. Maybe she would even pluck some petals from it and let herself half entertain the idea that…that Jack might…

Sally had knelt in the snow and begun to pluck. She had done this before sometimes, on a lark. Though now for some reason the activity made her so nervous, like the outcome would actually have a bearing on her real life. She thought the familiar words in her head. 'He loves me…He loves me not…He loves me…He loves me not…He love me….'

'My dearest friend, if you don't mind, I'd like to join you by your side…'

Sally had started trembling, utterly trembling. His voice, his singing…. Jack had never sung to her, just for her. He…could he really be here? And could he really mean…or did he truly just mean dearest 'friend'? She had stood and slowly turned, letting her flower drop to the snow.

'Where we can gaze into the stars…'

He had paused then, both in his song and his ascent up the hill.

The way he looked to her, it was like he was waiting for her permission before he would come closer— like she was something beautiful and he was a humble suitor to her, like he wanted her.

Sally had slumped a little, feeling herself going weak and wishing she had something to support her.

Then she had sung back to him—they had sung together. A duet. What beautiful music they made.

He approached as she awaited him. What would he do with her? She couldn't bear the wait to find out as he came closer…and closer…and closer.

'And sit together…now and forever. For it is plain…as anyone can see….'

They clasped hands. His touch helped to sustain her. Their eyes locked, and then…could it be?

'We're simply meant to be.'

His arms came around her waist and hers clung around his neck in need, and then he gave it to her…he gave her the kiss. Such a kiss….

In her half sleep in the present, Sally puckered her lips. "Jack…" she cooed softly in wanton.

On that hill they had held one another and kissed, and Sally had just lit up inside.

Slowly their lips had separated, arms coming from around one another so that they could clasp hands together.

She had looked up at him in such wonder, such desire, such love. She wanted him to say it and wanted to say it to him—that they each loved each other. They opened their mouths at the same time and…

The sounds of the townsfolk coming their way interrupted the clear, peaceful night around them.

Sally noticed Jack looking startled and unsure, but she had known what to do. She was always calm and thinking, and she knew that getting caught together like this would only lead to speculation and confusion and make talking about their feelings even more difficult. She had smiled and released his hands and then placed a single fingertip over his lips (which had made Jack's eye sockets go wide in the most adorable way).'Shh,' she had cooed softly, gesturing over his shoulder in the direction of the town and his house. Jack had blinked and turned as though trying to understand her meaning.

In that moment she had taken the opportunity to slip away. Luckily the snow gave her a soft landing as she dashed down the unfurling spiral of the hill and plopped onto the grounds of the graveyard below. And then Sally had been off, darting away, not wanting anyone to see she had been there and not once looking back and just letting the bursting hope in her heart sustain her escape along with the utter euphoria that Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, had just KISSED HER! Yes, Jack, the most charming, yet bashful, the most vibrant, yet genteel, the most horrifying, yet tender, creature there ever had been had chosen her (not the witches, not the Undersea Gal, but _her_) to give his kiss to! He really liked her. She felt overjoyed!

She had trailed along the outskirts of town a little, just to be safe, heading in the direction of her small herb garden. But then, like always, Sally found herself drawn home. But not to the house Dr. Finkelstein had tried to make her call home. Rather, it was to Jack's house she was drawn; he was her 'home', deep down.

However, though more than half an hour had passed now since she had left him on the hill, Sally did not see any lights on in Jack's manor. She had considered knocking, but hesitated, suddenly almost feeling too afraid to face him directly. After all, whatever they would say to each other next would probably result in the most meaningful conversation they had ever had! And that realization had been too much for a nearly exhausted ragdoll to think of handling right now. Even if they had chosen to postpone a conversation about their feelings upon meeting again, at the very least the topic would naturally come up of…well…Sally not having a home anymore. Oh, she could imagine that if she (or even he) had broached the topic, he would have invited her into his home, and once she had been in that place that so dripped of his essence, she would have lost all ability to hide a single shred of her feelings. And then what might they do up there together all alone? Her lips had warmed and trembled at the notion, and Sally had felt so overwhelmed with possibilities that she had instantly taken a step back from Jack's large manor house.

So instead Sally had curled herself into a corner of his gate near a stone wall. It didn't matter to her that she was outside and exposed: as long as she was near Jack, she would feel safe. And so what if it was a little cold—she was made of cloth and cloth was used for blankets so she was sort of like a blanket herself in a way, on top of which her warm little stray cat friend had found his way into her lap. And the snow hadn't gathered into this little corner of the wall, on top of which there were some warm, dried leaves here that she could use for a little extra comfort.

Yes, she would sleep perfectly peacefully here. She could decide more about how to fix up her life and what to say to Jack in the morning. And then, as these events of her dream had ended, Sally recalled her dream self drifting off thinking of her Jack and kisses….

In the present, Sally yawned and squinted as more orangey sunlight hit her shut eyelids, suddenly causing her to wake up just a little more. She snuggled as much as she could under these strange blankets around her. The last thing she wanted to do was wake up because doing so would mean leaving behind her wonderful dream about Jack and Christmas, and also she wasn't in the mood to see what place she had randomly found to sleep _this_ time after running away (though for all she knew she really had taken refuge just inside of Jack's gate). It could be so unsettling waking up in so many new places.

But she couldn't go back to Dr. Finkelstein. She wouldn't, no matter how unsettling waking up in strange places might be. Besides, he had his new creation now, his 'precious Jewel'.

'_Precious Jewel._' Sally felt confused. She had _seen_ the doctor making her, but…where had she heard the name? The name….

Sally smiled in her sleepiness. She remembered now. She had heard the Doctor call his creation that name when the town had come together to celebrate after the Mayor had returned her and Jack safely from Oogie Boogie's lair. Sally had seen 'Jewel' pushing the Doctor's wheelchair through the snow, and after that was when she had decided to sneak off to Spiral Hill where she and Jack had kissed. Yes, that was where she knew the doctor's name for his new female companion from.

Sally's half sleeping mind was contented with this answer to herself for a moment. She even snuggled more in the mysterious blankets around her with a happy yawn.

But Sally really was a clever girl….

Suddenly, her closer-and-closer-to-being-awake mind made the connection that, if all of her memories had been a dream, she could not have known Jewel's real name as she now did. Furthermore, the Christmas preparations going on around here for the last few months certainly had been real. Therefore, her thoughts about last night couldn't be dreams—they could only be memories. Sally's light breathing quickly stopped. She was almost entirely conscious now, and she knew something was off here.

Not to mention, that kiss really had felt potent…so potent. '_Oh…_'

And she was in blankets! Odd, unexpected, warm blankets! And she was in a strange sleeping place she did not know! And she had kissed the Pumpkin King last night and come near his house! What if that meant she somehow was in Jack's—!?

Sally's eyes flew wide open in fright and confusion and embarrassment all at once. She tried to glance around, but for a moment she could only squint, the glint of the rising pumpkin sun off of the snow around her hurting her eyes. But then once she was used to the light (and once she finished processing that there really was snow on the ground which meant for certain that last night really had not been a dream), her eyes flew open again. She looked around herself quickly, taking in her surroundings.

Okay, first of all, yes, she had blankets, nice warm cozy (if unfamiliar) ones all around her, but at least she was definitely outside in one of her usual places to sleep near Jack's house…which meant that she wasn't right now waking up next to Jack in his bed or something, his strong, bony arms wrapped around her, his skull near her head on a mutual pillow, his skeletal grin so close that she could press her lips to it yet again. Not that she hadn't privately imagined mornings like that with him, but, really, waking up in his bed after only a single kiss? And yet as dazed as she had been last night from that moment between them, she almost wouldn't have been surprised if she had wandered to his house in the cold and dark looking for a warmer place to sleep than a stone wall, and one thing had led to another…which had led to her snuggled with Jack, if not in his bed than at least upon his couch with him. She knew he would never have put her in an awkward or uncomfortable position about it, but really who would ever want to resist him after all? He smelled like jack-o-lantern embers and grey smoke in the night air and a touch of spice or herb as though he used some kind of cologne but just a little bit….

And Sally also could now put a taste to him. Yes, his skull was bone, and bone had more of a texture than a taste—smooth, cool, strong—but there had been a touch of something else that had filled her senses at their contact; a touch of fear. But not the bad kind of fear—the good kind that made your flesh tingle and made you tremble in wonder of what might come next. He seemed to drip with that kind of fear.

Sally in the present trembled once more this morning, and it was as 'not the bad kind of trembling' as it was possible for it to be.

She managed to blink a few times and snap herself out of her dazed thoughts about Jack and their experience together. She couldn't just sit here daydreaming and reminiscing, she had to figure out what was going on and take some action. This was her first day of freedom after all, and also her first day of a life in which she had been kissed by Jack. Not to mention it was Christmas Day! No, she had to focus.

The first thing she focused on were the blankets. She looked at them—they looked nice, fine, cozy…yet definitely unfamiliar. She tilted her head down a little toward them, and then through her nose she caught a scent—Jack's scent! Her eyes flew open wide and she was instantly standing, clinging the blankets to herself in surprise. Had he…could he have…found her out here last night and given her these? "But…" she started softly to herself in confusion, "But then why didn't he just invite me inside or at least wake me up to talk to me?"

She glanced up at Jack's large house and blushed a little, her initial assumption about her location resurfacing in her mind. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to take the risk that they might get too close too quickly? She blushed even further, swallowing in a touch of embarrassment that was mostly directed at her own admission to herself not more than a few moments ago that she probably wouldn't exactly have said no to a cozy little sleepover in his strong arms by the fireplace…and lots more kisses besides.

"Arf, arf! Arf, arf!" came a familiar string of little barks to her ears that made her blink and look upward toward their source.

Zero was floating down toward her, and he appeared to be coming in the direction from Jack's tower.

Sally smiled at the little dog, letting the blankets fall to the ground around her so that she could wave at him.

Instantly, Zero was right near her and giving her happy little kisses.

Sally giggled, petting him nicely. "Aw, aren't you a good boy, Zero."

A smiling Zero nuzzled under her chin a little. He really did like Sally a lot. She was nice and sweet and good and pretty, and she liked Jack and she liked him as well. He finished his nuzzles and looked to Sally with a smile again. "Arf, arf!" Then suddenly he had grabbed a bit of the hem of her dress and he was pulling her along toward the rope ladder Jack had left for her.

Sally looked at him in puzzlement, hesitating a little. "Zero, what is it?" she asked curiously.

"Arf…Arf!" Zero managed despite his grip on her with his mouth, gesturing with his head now toward the end of the rope ladder.

Sally looked on past where they were and soon discovered his meaning. She raised an eyebrow as she took up the blankets from the ground under her arm and went along with his tugs, looking at the rope ladder curiously. Then her eyes slowly roved along its length until she saw that it ascended to a large window in the tower off of Jack's main house. She blinked at the sight. "Hmm…" Then she looked down at the little dog. "Should I climb that, Zero? Is it all right to?"

Zero nodded eagerly, very happy she seemed to understand. He released the hem of her dress and flew down to pick up the end of the ladder and then he flew up and put it to one of her hands.

Sally smiled down at him as she took the ladder. She walked forward until she was close enough that a few steps of it were off the ground, and then she began to ascend. She wondered what she would find up there, and she smiled extra and blushed a little at the idea of maybe finding Jack himself in the tower, smiling and waiting for her…using this as some kind of cute little trick to see if she really did want to come to him all on her own. She giggled at the idea.

Zero flew up alongside Sally as she climbed, happy she was doing so well with the ladder. And he hoped she'd like what Jack had done up there for her. It really was lovely; Zero had been very impressed. Jack really must have liked Sally something awful to have put so much effort into it, yet he had kept things subtle too so as not to overwhelm her shyness or to come on too strong.

Sally had almost reached the top, and though she had gotten a little frightened once or twice by the wobbling of the rope ladder, she felt safe—if Zero was telling her to do this then obviously Jack had told him to tell her so, and she knew that Jack, as her friend or as anything else, would always keep her safe.

Yet, at the same time, Sally had to wonder…why the tower? Why not leave Zero with a key for her to get inside? Or why not let her in himself, provided he was home of course? Then again, she knew Jack—he tended to be an early riser when the mood struck him, and the house did look pretty deserted. Perhaps he was out for now? "Hmm…" She shrugged at the idea as she finally made it up to the open window and got her arms on the sill, pushing herself up and over into the—

"Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed, half falling forward into the room and dropping the blankets from under her arm onto the floor as she did so! She quickly regained her balance though and managed to get her legs through the window properly now to stand…and then she just sat back on the sill and looked with wide shy eyes at the room before her. "Ooo…" she cooed at the wonder of it.

His tower, where so often she had seen flashing lights of experimentation, looked so…cozy.

Everything was neat and tidy—the curtains were half drawn at all the windows, tables filled with anything Jack had been working on lately were covered over with white sheets and pushed off to the side to provide her with a lot of room for moving around, the start of a dull, warm fire glowed in the hearth, and there were bits of sweet yet spooky Halloween décor all over the place.

The thing that really caught Sally's eye though was at the center of it all. There was a soft, plush-looking sofa all set up for her. It had pretty throw pillows on it in all different colors and a lovely Halloween quilt. And on the coffee table in front of the sofa was a little vase full of dried flowers set alongside what looked like some vanity implements—a little hand mirror with a spider motif handle and backing, a nice white fishbone comb, and to top it off a fresh needle glinting in the firelight surrounded by several spools of thread of all sizes and colors. She giggled a little at how sweet it all was, at how Halloween Town's most eligible bachelor had done his best to anticipate her needs. Then her eyes moved to the little end table on one side of the sofa, and she smiled in pleasant surprise at its contents: books, several of them, all old yet dusted off. From the spines it appeared some were about science, some were about Halloween history, and a few were even little romantic novels; like Jack hadn't been sure what might interest her, and so had been considerate enough to leave her a variety of reading material. And next to the books sat a lovely full plate of fresh sweet spider cakes along with a corked bottle of fermented pumpkin juice to drink.

Standing up, Sally dashed over to the sight with a big smile on her face, barely able to believe that all of this could all be for her. Jack was so kind to have clearly put so much effort into everything. Sally giggled to herself and was about to sit down on the little sofa when she noticed a single dried flower on one of the throw pillows, and underneath the flower was a single sheet of paper, folded in half. _'A note?'_ Curiously, Sally blinked and reached down first to pick up the little flower (which she smelled, causing her to smile a touch dreamily). Then she placed the flower down on the coffee table, turned to the little note, picked it up, unfolded it, and read as follows:

_My dearest friend,_

_My apologies for not being here to greet you good morning. I had to step out for a while. Hopefully, I will return to you shortly. I would have invited you to stay up here in the tower last night, but when I found you sleeping so peacefully out by the gate, I couldn't bring myself to wake you. So I just brought you blankets instead. I hope that was all right. From now on though please feel free to use this room as your own, if you wish. I hope it's set up to your liking. And I hope you won't mind using the rope ladder to come up here for now—I'll show you how to enter through a passage at the base of the main house when I see you again. Zero will stay here to show you around and keep you company until I get back and can assist with any of your needs or concerns myself. We should talk about the doctor and other things soon._

_I hope you are comfortable here, Sally._

_~Jack Skellington_

_P.S._

_I am dreadfully sorry about your harrowing experiences last night. I will spend the rest of eternity apologizing to you if that's what it takes for you to forgive me for it all._

_Also…thank you for being so calm last evening, Sally, and for making sure the townspeople didn't see us. The last thing I would want is for you to be at the center of any rumors or for your privacy to be invaded. And also thank you for the 'moment' with you. I hope I was not too forward._

_~Your dearest friend, Jack._

With a soft sigh Sally sat herself upon the couch, just gazing at the little note and rereading it. It was so like Jack—elegant yet not at all pretentious, thorough yet not verbose, kind and soft yet professional and regal just the same…and so very modest and humble and genteel. The way he had put their kiss—the 'moment' with her. How he was so concerned for her comfort and welfare and had even apologized for the mess last night, and how he was worried he had been too forward by sharing a simple mutual kiss. Sally found the whole thing to be very cute. She giggled and then folded up the note placed the precious letter in the pocket of her dress. "Oh Jack…" she cooed softly to herself.

Sally let herself remain sitting in peaceful contentment for a few more moments longer. Then she blinked a few times, coming out of her reverie, and looked to Zero (who had just finished shutting the window and was now putting a few little logs into the fireplace with his mouth to grow the flame a bit more for her). "Zero, do you know how soon Jack will be back?" she asked with interest.

Zero put a last log in the hearth and turned to her. He thought about it for a moment but then shrugged his ghostly little shoulders. "Arf, arf!" he said, indicating he wasn't sure. But then he flew over to a grandfather clock in the corner. "Arf, arf!" he pointed with his glowing nose to the number twelve at the top, indicating that Jack would probably be back around then or somewhere generally in the afternoon.

Sally nodded, understanding. Then she asked, unable to help a small frown, "Is he safe, wherever he is, Zero?"

Zero had to hesitate at that question. He was sure his master must be fine of course, and yet…so many things could go wrong, it seemed, for the Pumpkin King when strayed from the Halloween world in which he belonged. But Zero didn't want to worry Sally of course, and Jack _had_ promised this would be a simple trip he was taking. So Zero settled on flying over to Sally with a little smile and nuzzling against her sweetly. "Arf…Arf…" he said cutely, doing his best to indicate that she shouldn't worry herself.

Sally had noticed Zero's hesitation at first, but then there were his sweet barks and nuzzles now. And so she figured that either Zero wasn't supposed to tell her where Jack was, or that Zero was only pretty sure Jack would be fine (leading Sally to guess that Jack wasn't some place as dangerous as doing battle with Oogie boogie again, but he also wasn't some place as safe as right here in his own home) and the little dog just didn't want Sally to worry about his master. Either way, she decided that the best thing to do would be to comfort and spend time with Zero, and then if the evening rolled around and Jack still wasn't home she might go out looking for him herself or possibly get the Mayor and tell him about Jack's new sudden absence—perhaps they could even take the car together to search for his whereabouts.

So Sally petted Zero and smiled, speaking sweetly to him. "All right, Zero. I'm sure Jack will be fine too. Thank you for leading me up here in the meantime. It was very sweet of you. And it was very sweet of Jack to do all of this for me. Since I can't give him a little kiss to thank him for it right now, could I give it to you instead?"

Zero blinked, and then his nose glowed bright red and he nuzzled her happily.

Sally giggled. "I'll take that as a yes." She brought the little ghost dog to her face with her hands and placed a small kiss right on his glowing nose, giggling as she pulled away. Then she pulled the Halloween quilt around herself and settled him alongside her, stroking his ears. "Good boy, Zero…" she cooed.

The little dog was beaming and utterly melting under her touch. "Arf!" he said in appreciation before snuggling into her.

Sally smiled and gave Zero another pet or two until she saw him close his eyes, getting ready to fall asleep. "Shh," she whispered to him, "You had a very long night pulling Jack's sleigh. You get some rest now, Zero." Zero yawned and began to do just that. Meanwhile, Sally reached over to the end table and picked up a spider cake and a romance novel to occupy herself with for now. And she thought to herself that perhaps as it got closer to Jack's return time she would take the fish bone comb and straighten her hair, maybe use the needle to retighten some of her stitches, and she would finish things by using the little mirror to check her appearance. She smiled more at the idea, opening her book.

A little bed, a warm fire, something to eat and drink, something to read, amenities, what might be called a love letter, and possibly now an official suitor…and still her little dream of a sewing shop.

"I knew the doctor was silly…" Sally remarked to herself, gazing down at her book with bright eyes. "For someone who supposedly 'can't handle so much excitement' I seem to be doing all right…and on my first day too!"

Sally smiled happily to herself at the notion of her own confidence and ability, and then took a bite of spider cake as she got lost in reading the story before her.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now, and I hope you all liked it. I'll try to have the next update posted soon, and in the meantime please review and also check out some of the oneshots I just posted for this pairing if you'd like : ) And as always please review whenever you can. Thank you!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	3. Valentine Town

**A/N:**

Hi everyone, thank you all so much for the reviews so far ^_^ Here's chapter 3, I hope you enjoy it!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 3:**

**Valentine Town**

* * *

Jack was standing in the holiday tree forest and looking, rather nervously, at a certain pink and red heart-shaped door. After all, who knew what he might find behind there exactly?

To clarify, Jack was not entirely ignorant of the 'interactions' between men and women in a romantic setting—he had been around for a long time after all, and he knew the fundamentals. He knew a lot of things he _could_ do with a woman. And he had a feeling the women of Halloween Town knew a lot of things they could and wanted to do with him considering how they would all but stalk after him in a pack after every Halloween celebration, mouths spilling compliments and praise, arms outstretched and trying to grab at him, all begging for his attention. It was flattering and ego boosting, to be sure, but so very unsettling to his dignity. The only one who had ever been kind enough not to do that to him had been Sally. Yes, Sally had never approached him in the bewitching hour of Halloween night…long, pale blue arms outstretched in desire… eyes hazed in romance…scarlet lips whispering words of wanton to him in the moonlight as she came closer to claim him for her own….

Jack's thought stopped now as he now couldn't breathe anymore. He had to lean against the heart-door tree for support, digging his bony fingertips into its soft bark. He hadn't expected this sudden onslaught of feelings from a single thought of her like that at all—as stated, the other women in town chasing him like that had always made him a bit uncomfortable. But the idea of Sally chasing him…. Jack shivered all over with anticipation. "Well, I certainly 'have it bad', don't I?" he managed to breathe out with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood for himself, though it was hard…and his bones still rattled. "Sally…coming to me like that."

Jack let out a breath and shook his head. Then he cleared his throat and straightened his tie and did his best to move his thoughts along, just simply refusing to think of Sally in any way more intimate than that kiss they had shared, and even that had felt just slightly too forward to him (he was glad again that he had apologized for his behavior in his letter to her, just in case.) After all she was a lady and so sweet and so innocent and so perfect. '_She would hate me if I ever…__I__ would hate me if I ever…._' Jack sighed deeply, closing his eye sockets and reaching up a hand to rub his temples. "I have utterly lost my mind, and this is going to be so much harder than I thought, isn't it?"

Jack sighed and tried to bring his thoughts back to why he was actually here right now at this early hour and considering jumping through the strange, heart-like door before him. It wasn't so much to learn how to kiss and caress and…other such things. It was more to learn how to woo a woman, how to simply present romantic feelings to a female creature in a way that would make her happy and win her heart in return. That's what Sally deserved, and that's what he intended to give her—a perfect gentleman only trying to earn her favor and esteem. And as he had only ever had experience up until now trying to _repel_ fanatic females, lo and behold, here he was at the Heart Door.

Jack took a step back and looked at it some more: he wondered what the Heart Door holiday was called. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't a clue. But he supposed he would find out once he got to the holiday world it led to. He also wondered what might happen when he opened this door? Snowflakes had pulled him in for a long fall down to a snowy hilltop at the Christmas Town door, and he knew from returning home from Christmas Town via the holiday forest there that the Halloween Town door pulled you in with a thick fog and dropped you down into a brushy corner of the pumpkin patch. Neither of those things had hurt, they had just been surprising, and he hoped that the pattern would continue with the other doors like the heart-shaped door.

Jack sighed and reached out for the Heart Door's small gold handle. "Oh well, here goes nothing!" He took a deep breath and then pulled open the door wide, unable to help taking a small step back in a touch of anticipation.

However, there was nothing at first but a long, quiet pause.

Jack uncringed after a moment (it seemed the pattern of a delay before a holiday pulled a person in was certainly continuing). Then he straightened his tie and suite a little (just in case he did happen to accidentally run into anyone in this place, he wanted to look presentable of course). Then he sighed and turned around so his back was facing the open door. "And three…two…o—WHOA!"

Doves were surrounding him! Little doves all grabbing at his lapels and the tails of his suit with their little beaks, and they were lifting him up and pulling him into the door in a flurry of pretty chirps!

"O-Oh!" Jack exclaimed in a touch of surprise, though soon he was smiling. "Uh, thank y—Whoa!" And then suddenly he was falling through a void, surrounded by swirls of red and violet and yellow, blinking and flailing a little, until…

"Oh!" He felt himself fall sitting into something soft yet springy, and he spun around twice and rubbed his eye sockets. He opened them, and blinked a few times.

And then oh the sights he did see….

* * *

"…And then the tall, dark and handsome vampire Count, finally unable to deny his feelings, took the bewitching, fair ghost Countess in his arms and declared his love for her. 'I love you, my darling! Oh please say you'll marry me?' The fair Countess smiled demurely and nodded with adoration in her eyes. "Oh, yes, my dearest, I've always wanted to marry you! And now we can rule our gothic kingdom together, haunting the land for eternity!' 'Yes, for eternity!' he nodded in agreement. And then the Count scooped up the Countess in his arms and whisked her away into the gloom so they could start to enjoy their happy and horror-filled life together."

Sally sighed dreamily and closed the romance novel in her hands. She hugged it close to her chest with a smile and rested back against her pillows. For a moment, she closed her eyes and let herself daydream. She imagined herself in a lovely black and purple gothic gown instead of her usual little worn patchwork dress, and Jack…well, Jack dressed as he was usually dressed since his style was so debonair to her. She imagined him coming up to this tower and finding her sitting here in her gown. Then he might take her in his arms and say something like, 'Oh Sally, breathtaking Sally, how I adore you! Ravishing creature of the night….' Next he would hold her arm and place kisses all up and down it. 'Marry me, Sally? I can't live another moment without you! Marry me and kiss me and be my Pumpkin Queen, and we'll live right here and have children and be together forever. Oh say yes, please say yes, my darling!' Sally imagined she would sigh and smile and move toward him. 'Oh Jack, yes, I'll be your Queen, I'll have your children, I'll marry you! Kiss me, Jack!' His skeletal grin would appear on his face and he would stand them up and pull her right against him. 'Yes…' he would all but bellow in that rich, deep voice of his, and then he would ravish her with the sweetest kisses, and she would kiss him back on every inch of that adorable skull of his until her lips knew every groove and crevice of it by heart. Then Jack would scoop her up and carry her off to their wedding.

Sally in real life, sighed deeply and opened her eyes. "I know all of that sounds a little silly. I probably wouldn't even like it if Jack really was that dramatic. And I don't even know for sure yet if we'll work out together as more than friends, let alone if we would be good at being married. But still, it's not such a bad daydream."

Sally smiled to herself a little more. She just wanted for them to pursue their relationship so badly. She didn't want to make Jack feel uncomfortable at all, and she knew that this 'whatever it was' between them was still so young but...oh for crying out loud she had PINED for him from the moment she had met him! She had desired his smile, his gaze, his friendship, his conversation, his esteem, his notice, his kindness, his respect, his liking, his touch…his love. He was the most wonderful man in town, and she had fallen for him from the start. Years of mental preparation, and now there was a ray of real hope for their love! And darn it she was so ready! She would take things as slowly as they needed to be taken to keep Jack from becoming overwhelmed by the sudden change between them, but all she really wanted was for them to wrap themselves up in a cocoon of love and spend hours whispering sweet nothings to one another and kissing and cuddling and sharing and…she wanted to tell him, officially, that she was in love with him. And she wanted him to say he was in love with her too. They may have missed their chance back on Spiral Hill, but now they would have all the time in the world to finally admit those most important words to each other.

But Sally sighed and remembered that at the moment she was still in Jack's house, still waiting for him to come back, and therefore still alone and without anyone to share her love with. Well, she wasn't entirely alone of course—Zero was keeping her company, but now he was asleep by the fire (she had insisted, the poor thing seemed so tuckered out from last night's harrowing ordeals after all). Yet still she longed for Jack's return and to know finally where their relationship would go from here.

Sally let herself lie back on the couch fully, stretching her arms up and yawning a little. By now, she had already read some of the books Jack had left her, eaten all the spider cakes, drunk most of the pumpkin juice, played with her hair a few different ways in the little hand mirror with the little fishbone comb, and tightened every loose stitch she had with the needle and thread Jack had left her. And now she was just bored. But it was barely eleven, and Jack wouldn't be back for at least another hour if not longer,

Then suddenly Sally blinked and sat up with a start. "Wait a minute…what am I doing? How silly of me and selfish. Just because I'm free now and a guest here doesn't mean I can't do something good with my time until Jack comes back. Besides, I don't want him to think he has to 'wait on me hand a foot' or anything like that—that's what I always had to do for Dr. Finkelstein, and I hated it. I want to show Jack that I can help him and that I like him and that I want to contribute to this place if it's going to be my new home…and that's just what I'll do!" She stood up with a happy smile, clapping her hands together (but making sure to do so quietly so as not to wake Zero—she wanted things to be a surprise for him too).

Sally giggled quietly to herself and then proceeded to start by folding up the blankets on her sofa, re-fluffing the pillows, and gathering her used dish and glass. Oh yes, she would make sure that Jack knew that choosing her to live in his tower was a good idea. And for the first time as she cleaned a little, despite the fact that it was one of the main chores Dr. Finkelstein had always made her do, Sally felt happy because she was cleaning by her own choice and cleaning for herself and for someone she loved. That circumstance really made all the difference in the world.

* * *

Jack had heard rumors of its existence, he knew, theoretically, that it could exist, and he had even seen little swatches of it in Christmas Town, but…he had never seen it before in such a pure and epic state.

'It' was the color pink—bright, vibrant, glowing, fields of pink!

All of that pink was just sort of a shock to the senses for a person who was used to the gray, drab, macabre shadows and shades of Halloween Town. And even Christmas Town had at least had all the white snow to soften things and many colors of all shades mixing together. But this was…

"O-Oh my," was all Jack could mumble.

He blinked a few more times and then let his hands rest on the ground on either side of him, though the strange texture they met with made him pull back for a moment and examine upon exactly what 'soft, springy' thing had fallen.

His eye sockets went wide at the sight. "Ooo…" He was in a thick field of pink and red flowers, it seemed, though so very different from Halloween Town flowers that were usually dried and dead. These were lush and soft and tender…roses. He had never seen them grow like this and never in a color other than deep black or purple. And yet, though he was sure everyone else back home—except perhaps his unique Sally—would look at these and call them ugly, he found them beautiful. Jack smiled and gently stroked the soft, lush petals of one of the roses.

Oh yes, Jack knew right now, he had definitely picked the right place to go to learn about romance.

And this field of roses was just the start.

Jack stood up (though not before plucking and pocketing a particularly dark red rose to give to Sally later) and gazed around. The sky of this world was pinks and peaches and honey colors all mixed together while buttery sunshine beamed softly down from overhead. And the sun was shaped like a heart. "Delightful!" he cooed at the sight. Then there was the town—whites and reds and pinks all mixed, buildings shaped like hearts (some with arrows through them), heart-shaped electric lights everywhere, the smell of sweets in the air but so much more sugary than Christmas Town, and he could see little forms of people in pastel-colored clothes dashing all around. And finally to top it all off there was a big arch at the town gate like Jack had seen in Christmas Town, but this one bore town's name on it. Jack leaned forward on his hands and knees, trying to make out the name when… "Oh!" He tumbled down the hill of roses toward the valley of the town. He soon found himself right under the arch looking up at what it said: "Val-en-tine Town? Oh, what a pretty word. 'Valentine'…"

Jack chuckled a little…and then he felt something swirling inside of him—he sat up, air filled his rib cage, and then…!

"_What's this? What's this? I—"_

Jack's eye sockets then suddenly focused in on the town again as he could see people hearing the start of his compulsive song. Instantly, he slapped a hand over his mouth and hid his thin, bony self behind one of the marble heart pillars holding up the arch. He leaned back against it, breathing heavily, hoping no one had seen him. '_Jack! You are NOT here to sing! You are NOT here to get distracted! You are NOT here to steal a bunch of decorations and try to fill Halloween Town with fresh roses on…_' Jack quickly glanced behind the pillar toward the town hall's countdown clock, saw how many days were left until 'Valentine's Day', and then did the math in his head, _'…February 14__th__! You are here to observe, to learn how to gently woo a woman, and then you will go home and you are never to go to another holiday unless invited ever again. That is the plan. Okay, now…how to become inconspicuous. Hmm?' _He glanced down at himself: the white color of his bones actually fit in here quite well. It was the black color of his suit, though, that would make him stand out among this town and its people (and of course the fact that he was dead.)

Jack peeked out from behind his pillar. All the people here were flesh, and very rosy flesh (practically rosier than Santa), they all had white or pink or red or purple or golden hair, they all had eyes ranging from lightest blue to deepest violet, they were all wearing rose tinted glasses, and they all wore long, flowing robes in various pastel hues. And, as Jack looked closely, he noticed they all seemed to be wearing these funny little pinkish glasses with gold frames.

"Hmm…" Jack quickly whipped his head back out of sight and considered again how to—

"Hello there. A lovely day to you, sir. What is it your heart desires here?"

Jack Skellington had never been more startled in his entire existence.

Eye sockets wide, he looked out before him to see about a half dozen Valentine Town citizens (little more than half his height) now gathered around him with and a few more joining the little crowd.

Jack blinked several times, glancing from one face to the other, barely able to breathe. _'O-Okay, just calmly explain why you're here and where you're from and why you're a talking skeleton. They won't panic, you won't cause some 'inter-holiday' incident again. It'll be fine_.' "Erm…hello there." Jack put on his best skeletal grin and gave the people a wave. "I'm Jack Skellington. Sorry to bother you. I-I know this is a bit unusual, that I'm a bit unusual, but I mean you no harm, really…" he made sure to assure very clearly.

The citizen who had spoken to him, a red haired woman in a sunshine yellow robe, blinked a few times, looking at him with a confused smile. "You're not unusual," she replied simply to Jack.

The other citizens nodded.

That comment had to make Jack blink. He tilted his skull to the side, looking to this woman in perplexity. "Come again?"

The female creature just smiled and shrugged. "Hello, I'm Peony. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed, then straightened up. "You must be new to this town. It's our rose-colored glasses." She tapped the frame of her own gently. "When we look at people with love in their hearts, how the glasses let us see the person depends on how much love they're filled with and what the source is. And whoever you're in love with must be the luckiest creature alive—you positively beam with affection! We all saw you standing here behind this pillar, glowing with emotion, from the moment you got here. You're in love, Mr. Skellington, and with your true love! That's one of the loveliest things that can happen to anyone."

All of the other citizens smiled and nodded, looking at Jack like he must be the happiest man in the world.

"Oh, just call me Jack, please…" Jack started to assure politely. Then something processed, and his eye sockets went wide and his jaw fell so thoroughly that he was amazed it didn't jut pop off. "I-I…in love? I…that's, no, no, you've got it all wrong, heh! I-I just…I mean, there's a lady friend of mine, of course, who I…care for, but love is a big word, and I…I…."

Jack was finally cut off in his stuttering by the giggles of the little group (nearly a dozen now) all around him.

Jack blinked a few more times, starting to feel very shy and embarrassed. "Wh-What?" he asked in confusion with a bashful little frown.

The giggles calmed a little, and a male citizen stepped forward now. "Oh, Jack, we're sorry, we don't mean to embarrass you. It's just that…with our glasses we can see how much you love her, and it was already very strong before you were thinking about her, but once you started denying everything and thinking about her more and more, you glowed so brightly it was as though you would burst! Oh but still we shouldn't have laughed—after all, sometimes it takes one a while to come to terms with one's feelings. We truly are sorry, Jack." He bowed a little, and the other citizens nodded and bowed as well. "I'm Chrysanthemum, by the way," he added, deepening his bow a little more. "It's a pleasure to meet you.

Jack let out a breath, calming a bit. "It's quite all right, I assure you…and it's a pleasure to meet you too, Chrysanthemum." Jack gave a small bow and straightened up, trying to seem at ease again. Still, though, he couldn't help feeling a little extra self-conscious around these people: yes, they weren't panicking because they were suddenly looking at a walking skeleton, but at the same time they could see his feelings for Sally…and there were lots of those. He felt rather exposed. "Um, I…I think there's something all of you should know though. I really am from another 'world'—a different holiday from yours. I don't mean to intrude upon your town of course, but I…there is that lady friend I mentioned, and I thought that if I exposed myself to this place a little then I might better understand how to court her properly. May I stay here for a little while to observe?" Jack asked humbly.

The citizens all nodded with smiles.

"Of course!" Peony answered. "All who are loving at heart are welcome here!" She smiled more and went on. "We're so happy for you and your lady friend, Jack, and happy that you wanted to come here to learn more about love."

Jack actually managed a calm smile now. He bowed his skull a little. "Thank you. I'm honored to be allowed here to visit your town. It's beautiful."

All of the citizens bowed low in gratitude.

"You're welcome," Chrysanthemum replied, straightening up as did the others. "And we hope you enjoy your stay here."

"He should go to Lovers Lane!" someone, a female voice, toward the back of the crowd suggested then.

Instantly the whole crowd was nodding in agreement to each other with lit up eyes.

Jack looked to them all curiously. "Lovers Lane?"

"Oh yes!" Peony added with a nod. "It's everyone's dream here to find their true love, and once that happens, Lovers Lane is where they all go to court and woo and enjoy each other's company. That would be perfect for you!"

Jack's smile beamed a little. That really did sound perfect. "Oh splendid!" He clapped his hands together happily. "Thank you! Where is it?"

Instantly the whole group of citizens pointed off toward the middle of town.

"Just head straight through town and you'll find it, Jack," assured Chrysanthemum.

Obliged, Jack smiled and bowed low. "Thank you all. I appreciate your help very much, especially you Peony and Chrysanthemum." Jack smiled more. He really was starting to like this place. It was very nice: a bit more 'perky' than Christmas Town but still very enjoyable.

They all gave him bows of their heads in return and seemed about to depart to go about their days when Jack, with a touch of hesitation in his countenance and a small clearing of this throat, made them pause for just a moment longer. "And, erm…I really won't frighten anyone here when I walk around looking the way I do, right? I know of course that your glasses affect how you see me, but I really do look quite different. I don't want to worry anybody."

The lovely people just smiled and chuckled a little. Chrysanthemum spoke for them. "Don't worry, Jack. As long as you're so very in love…oh, pardon me," he corrected himself politely, "…as long as you care so deeply for your lady friend and as long as there's kindness in your heart, you won't frighten us." He winked at Jack.

Jack smiled happily. "Splendid. Well…I'm off then, I guess." He gave them all a wave, starting to head into town. "Thank you, everyone!"

They all waved back to him, smiling. "Goodbye, Jack! Good luck with your lady friend!"

Jack smiled more and turned now to start looking at the town as he was passing through it. The whole place really did just drip with romance and love. There were so many hearts and all the pretty colors and there was just a general feel in the air of everyone loving each other and being happy and lighthearted.

If Jack had still been into stealing holidays, he would have definitely considered stealing this one…and giving it all to Sally.

He sighed dreamily, his thoughts wandering as he wandered along the town. '_Sally…she's so different. She wouldn't think this place is ugly just because it's not scary. She would think it was beautiful in its own special way. She would smile and be so happy here. And if we walked together, maybe she would hold my hand…_.' Jack gently clenched one of his bony hands, imagining Sally's little cloth one in it. '_She must feel nice to touch_.' One day he might even run the fingers of his bony hand through her soft, yarn hair just to know what it was like, if she would let him…and possibly slip an arm around her waist to pull her close and dance. She was a very beautiful woman, and for the first time in his life Jack could let himself explore and indulge in that fact. And as they danced she might cling to his chest, much as she had done for a single moment when the Mayor had come to rescue them from Oogie's lair and Jack had grabbed hold of the rope and her for them to be pulled up. She would sigh sweetly and lay her hands against him. 'Oh Jack…' she might coo in that soft way she had. He had never let anyone get that close to him, but he would let her get that close. He would let her have as much of him as she wanted. And perhaps as their dance ended he could embrace her in a deep kiss and they would collapse together just like he had thought of doing on Spiral Hill…and he would let her see a side of the Pumpkin King that no one had ever seen before.

Little giggles and coos started to meet Jack's ears, and finally the sounds made him blink a few times and glance around, leaving behind his daydream for a moment. The little laughs (along with quite a few glances) were coming from a fair amount of the citizens he was passing—they were all looking at him dreamily and smiling and whispering to each other.

'_But why would they…?'_ Jack blinked! '_Oh, yes, they can see my e-emotional states, can't they!?_' He gulped in utter shyness and looked down humbly, instantly doing his best to move his thoughts to ANYTHING but imagining touching and kissing Sally. Jack shook his head, letting out a deep breath. _'Halloween, think about Halloween—ghosts and jack-o-lanterns and fog and red and black and slimy green…._' Jack did his best, and slowly the giggles died down, though he knew his feelings for Sally couldn't help but shine through in his thoughts at least a little. Regardless, though, he just did his best to plow forward through town until finally he reached the center and found himself before a little golden archway with the words 'Lovers Lane' written on it and set upon pillars of hearts with little arrows through them. Jack couldn't help but look quizzically at seeing this design of arrows through hearts again. '_It's almost macabre. We should try putting up something like that during Halloween. I wonder why they want to shoot hearts with arrows here though?_' He shrugged, figuring it was a cultural thing, and walked through the archway.

Instantly, he was standing upon the loveliest little red cobblestone path in the loveliest little park one could imagine. It was almost more like a garden really—a beautiful, spacious, winding garden.

And there were couples everywhere.

So many couple, all holding hands, walking together, leaning upon one another, whispering sweet nothings to each other, offering and accepting flowers, sitting in each other's laps on benches…lying in the grass with arms wrapped around each other…and off in shady corners under trees kissing…for very long amounts of time…and very deeply…and with fiery looks in each other's eyes…and not stopping. How were they managing to breathe while doing that for that long anyway? Some of these people looked like they might melt into one another as they kissed and caressed in their own little private corners of this place thick with perfume and warmth and honey sunshine. And a few of the women had partners trailing kisses from their lips down to their stomachs where a little bit of plumpness suggested that a fresh little citizen of Valentine Town was on the way….

Jack was having a little trouble breathing again at the moment, and he went behind a tree and slumped down to sit at its base to calm himself. "No, no…this isn't what I'm supposed to be looking for!" Jack shook his head to himself. "No, I…I…" Some of the sights were undeniably appealing, but he pushed them out of his mind. "Sally…I just want to learn how to get her to like me, or how to keep her liking me. I just want her to be happy and for us to get closer. I don't…I can't want…with her…at least not yet!" A brief flash came forth in his mind of he and Sally lying in the grass and roses, his hands gently touching her, his kisses going from her lips down to her little tummy with a little plumpness of its own….

Jack let out a very deep sigh and put a hand to his forehead, pulling his knees in close to his chest. It was just all so much. He had gone from never more than liking any woman in particular to suddenly bursting with emotions for one all over the course of a night, and he almost felt horrible for thinking about such an intense relationship with her so suddenly! After all, what would she think of him if she knew? 'Jack, you're imagining touching me and kissing me all over and having a baby! How could you? All we've done is kiss and only once, Jack. What kind of woman do you think I am? Oh Jack I'm so disappointed in you!' He could almost hear her words of shock and guilt echoing in his head, and he cringed at the idea of it all. Yet could he really blame her? How could she take his feelings seriously if he came to her like that? '_No, no, I have to go slowly—slowly and gently. Smiles and walks and maybe a kiss every now and then for a few months…or decades. Then much later on we can work out sharing anything more than that. We do have the entire length of our deaths to sort everything out after all.'_

Jack nodded to himself. "Yes, that's the plan. We go slowly. Not like out there. Those people out there must have been together for centuries already."

"Actually, some of them have been together for decades, but most of them only a few months or years…and a few of the less shy ones only a few days. Ah, l'amour!" a sweet yet playful little voice suddenly replied out of nowhere, causing Jack to blink and look up with a start.

There was a woman leaning against a tree across from him dressed in a rich, red robe. Her hair was silvery, thick and long, and her eyes were…Jack blinked. She wasn't wearing those rose colored glasses everyone here seemed to have.

Jack gulped and quickly stood up and started trying to explain himself, worried that this person was seeing him as a skeleton and might be afraid. "Oh, hello! Pardon me, I know I must look strange to you, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is—"

"It's all right, Mr. Skellington…or Jack, if you prefer. I know your name and I know your situation. The whole town knows your situation, actually." The woman smiled a little more. "Even when you try not to think about her, you glow like a firework." She giggled a little, unable to help it.

Jack just blinked, looking at her curiously. "But…how do you know my name and…how can you see my feelings without the glasses?" he asked humbly.

She just shrugged and approached him. "Oh I was at the back of that little crowd you attracted before. I heard your introductions and everything else too. And as for seeing your feelings…I'm just intuitive, I suppose." She held out a soft, pale hand for him to shake. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jack Skellington."

Jack couldn't help but look at her a little hesitantly for just another moment, but then he reached out and took her hand and shook it. "Er…the pleasure is all mine," he replied politely with a smile. "And may I ask your name?"

The woman smiled a little more and removed her hand from his. "Well, all of my friends call me Flora. But enough about me, Jack. Pardon my interference, but you seemed to be in a bit of distress when I stumbled upon you. Do you need assistance at all? I promise I can be discreet." She looked to him sincerely.

Jack blinked a few times but then looked away shyly. "I don't mean to be secretive, Miss Flora. But it's a little personal…and complicated."

However, rather than taking her leave at this explanation, this woman merely came closer to him, causing Jack to freeze, his eye sockets going wide. She closed her eyes and seemed to be gently smelling the air around him. "Hmm…Ahh, I see." She smiled more to herself and opened her eyes again. "But still I'd rather hear you describe it in your own words. Please, Jack, I would like to help you…you and your lady friend." She looked deeply into his eye sockets, and Jack could see now that her eyes were almost like prisms, flashing soft rainbows. "Oh and just call me Flora, please. No 'Miss.' I insist," she added.

Jack was feeling rather uncomfortable at the moment. He brimmed inside with his feelings for Sally, and yet this woman was so close and it almost felt like she was exuding a wall of romance-like feelings that were trying to push into him…but his own romantic feelings for Sally were pushing right back.

Flora remained just gazing at him for a moment, and Jack remained quiet…but then she blinked a few times and took several steps back from him. She gave Jack a humble bow. "I apologize, Mr. Skellington. I want to help you, but I let my desire for that overwhelm my politeness just now. I didn't mean to confuse you, and I'm sincerely sorry. I just…naturally exude a certain force of charm that I cannot control, and it comes out when I want my way a little too much. I shouldn't have let it in this case though, especially with a visitor here. Are you all right?" She looked to him with a touch of concern.

Jack blinked a few times, still seeming genuinely overwhelmed for a moment, but then he just let out a breath and straightened his tie. "It's all right. I just…never felt a force quite like that. Well, with Sally—uh, my lady friend—I do, but it's much softer and sweeter from her."

Flora nodded. "That makes sense. Hers is natural, pure, and all for you. Mine's just…sort of a nervous tick that I can't help. It's impersonal and comes through to anyone. And if I may say, Jack, your love for this woman must be very pure too to so utterly block my own little force."

Jack gulped and glanced down, rubbing one of his arms and letting out a little sigh. "I-I told the crowd before, I don't know about 'love' just yet. I just care for Sally…very much."

Flora smiled a little more and nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't mean not to respect your feelings on the matter."

Jack looked to her humbly. "Thank you."

She smiled more and then sighed, pacing a little before him. "Anyway, Jack, about your situation, I promise, if you'll explain it to me, I can assist you."

Jack still looked to her hesitantly. "I…well…it's just…" Jack didn't know why but suddenly he really did feel like this woman could help him and like he could trust her. He almost sensed something kindred in her in an odd way. "Well…I came here to learn about courtship. You see, Sally, our relationship…. Well, actually, we don't even have a proper relationship yet. We just…she likes me and I like her very much now, and she helped me, she saved me, and we kissed…but that's all. I do want us to have a formal relationship now though, but most of what I'm skilled at involves being frightening, not being affectionate. So I just want to learn more about being good at romance, but…I can't behave like _that_ with her!" He gestured around the tree with one of his bony thumbs back to the couples on Lovers Lane. "I can't come on that strongly to a woman after a single kiss—what in the world would she think of me? I'd look like an idiot." Jack sighed, rubbing one of his temples and cringing a little. "Correction, I'd look like an _even bigger_ idiot. You have no idea of the spectacle I've spent the last two months making of myself, and all right in front of her face!"

"You mean the Christmas thing?" Flora asked just a touch dryly, her smile picking up a little on one side.

Jack blinked and looked at her curiously. "How did you know about…"

Flora shrugged and explained. "We in Valentine Town are familiar with the other holidays already, Jack, and you did cause quite a stir. We especially wanted to keep up with your actions since our holiday is the next one coming up after Christmas. Though I think I'm the only one here who's gotten close enough to you to realize that you're not just a Halloween Town citizen but indeed the infamous Halloween Town King." She shrugged. "Also Santa thought it wise to make a brief mention of you, though I promise he was very forgiving and understanding in what he had to say of you." She smiled encouragingly.

Jack just blinked and then sighed deeply, rubbing his temple once more with a frown. "Splendid." He shook his head. "So you see my problem then—Sally witnessed all of my insane antics first hand! She must already think I'm a fool—at least if I can have her see me as a gentleman it'll help things." He looked to Flora again.

Flora just smiled and replied back to him as reassuringly as possible, "Oh Jack, I promise it's not all that bad, really. Each holiday finds out about the other holidays eventually. You just had an…unusual reaction." She sighed. "And as for Sally, I suppose if I said that you should just talk to her about all of these confusing feelings you're having because she just might be feeling the same way, you'd find a dozen 'good' reasons why you couldn't possibly do that?"

Jack looked to (a slightly grinning now) Flora in near shock. "I can't tell Sally that I think this much about intimacy with her! And believe me she's far too sweet and clever to be having half the confusing thoughts I've been having. She probably expects me to be her prince charming and to come in and scoop her up and give her the perfect life." He sighed. "I just need to start by seeing people taking their time together slowly, relationships gradually blossoming…not what's here." He looked to Flora desperately.

Flora nodded, considering his words. "I see." She shrugged. "Well, as for the people out there on Lovers Lane, the important thing to them is that they've found their true loves, and now they just want to express that love to each other in whatever way feels most comfortable and right. There's nothing wrong or forward about it, Jack. Love is beautiful in all of its forms." She smiled warmly.

She saw Jack open his mouth in a way that suggested he was going to slightly protest something.

Flora anticipated his issue and politely corrected herself with a smile. "Yes, yes, I know, you just 'care for' Sally at the moment. I was just using the word 'love' to make a point. But you do know, Jack, that sooner or later all romances lead to what's out there—touches, kisses, warmth, passion…and even new little loves." She giggled, but then saw his further discomfort and moved along. "But, if you really insist on wanting to start as slowly as possible, I could take you to a place that might help you. But you must keep in mind that all paths lead to Lovers Lane and also that sooner or later you must talk with Sally about all of this…all right?"

Jack, so very confused but clinging to the hope of guidance she had mentioned, nodded, though hesitantly. "All right…as long as you can really show me a place where things are at a lower level of passion, I promise to keep in mind everything you've just said…and to talk to Sally…one day." He looked to her hopefully.

Flora's prism eyes brightened and she nodded. "Excellent, Jack! Please come with me!" And then she snatched up his arm and was whisking him through the garden and off to a different area of town on the other side of the park so quickly that Jack practically felt like he was flying!

A few moments later they arrived at a smaller little park area on the far outskirt of Lovers Lane.

Flora stopped their journey and released Jack's arm, bringing a finger to her lips in a silencing gesture. Then she quietly led him over to some high hedges, which she pushed aside so that they could peer at the area beyond. Jack looked—before him was a small area with swings and a seesaw and a little merry-go-round…and all sorts of little Valentine Town children playing together.

Flora smiled. "This is the children's playground Jack. And with Valentine's Day coming up in just a few more weeks, our youngest citizens are practicing for the holiday. Just look."

Jack peered curiously at the sight and then smiled.

The children were all so sweet looking—little girls and boys in their own little different colored robes, all playing nicely together. It was a far cry from how Lock, Shock and Barrel 'played together' to say the least.

Jack noticed though that, much like his new friend, the children didn't have rose-colored glasses on. He glanced to Flora. "Flora, why don't they wear the glasses either?"

Flora just smiled more and shrugged, still looking on at the children. "The children brim with such sweetness and innocence and love that they don't need the glasses to see people only for the love in their hearts. The adults can see people in that way without the glasses if they try hard enough, but the glasses help them focus a little more."

Jack took in that information with interest. He thought it was nice that there was clearly something still so childlike in Flora that made her not need the glasses. '_Sally would like her. I hope I can introduce them one day. A friend for Sally would be nice._' "I see." Jack smiled. "Thank you, Flora." He turned from her to watch the children again.

They were just laughing and singing and joking together. And then he looked closer and saw some children giving heart-shaped cards to some of their friends and turning away with a blush, and other children bowing gracefully and maybe asking politely to hold the hands of some of their friends. And he even saw a pair of children who looked older blush and smile at each other before the boy picked up the girl's hand and gave it a small kiss, and then they both stepped back from each other, giggling.

"They're all trying to learn about finding their true loves, and this is how they start, Jack," Flora explained. "Of course, they're children and you're an adult, so really even if these young fundamentals are more what you're interested in, the experiences of Lovers Lane would still be more applicable to you." She looked to Jack. However, he seemed off in his own little world at the moment.

Indeed, Jack's eye sockets were lit up like he had just stumbled across the most brilliant thing ever. "Oh yes, yes of course…" he assured Flora, not taking his gaze off the children though. "But this is actually perfect—sweet, simple, basic, barely a kiss…. Yes, all right, that'll be safest for me and Sally. Thank you so much for taking me here, Flora!"

Flora just sighed and smiled to herself and shook her head, doing her best not to giggle. "Um…you're welcome, Jack." She took a step back. "Anyway, I have to go take care of a few things now. Valentine's Day is coming up so quickly, after all. Will you be all right to find your own way back to the holiday forest?"

Jack nodded, glancing over his shoulder at her, still with a bright smile. "Oh yes, I'll manage. And thank you again, Flora. Good luck with your Valentine's Day preparations!"

Flora smiled more and bowed a little. "Thank you, Jack. Have a good day as well, and good luck with Sally! Oh and before I forget…" She approached him once more, reached into a fold of her robe and pulled out a little pink satchel which she offered to him. "A little Valentine Town welcome present for you."

Jack blinked and reached out, taking the satchel. "Oh! Um…thank you. But, may I ask, what is it?"

"Candy hearts. Sort of a favorite treat here," Flora explained with a shrug. They're made specially to, um…put the person who eats them more in touch with their emotions. Best eaten before bed—I guarantee you'll wake up feeling absolutely lovely." She winked at him.

Jack smiled more, glancing inside the satchel and indeed seeing many candy hearts of many different colors. He closed it up and placed the gift within his suit pocket, then looked to Flora with a smile. "Thank you, Flora. That's very kind of you. Erm, I'd give you a present from where I'm from, but unfortunately all I've got is a dead rat in my pocket." He smiled and shrugged sheepishly.

Flora chuckled a little. "That's quite all right, Jack. Thank you anyway. Goodbye for now!" She gave him a small wave and then swiftly slipped away.

Jack waved back at her. "Goodbye, Flora!"

He watched her go and then turned back to the children at play, all learning about Valentine's Day and how to be loving and sweet to one another.

Jack really did like children. There weren't enough of them in Halloween Town in his opinion. And for a moment, even though it scared him, he let a small idea pass through his mind of how a few new children might come about in Halloween Town…though instantly his shyness and denial made him clear his throat and turn his thoughts again to the innocent little children at their young games. He would stay here for a little while and then go back to Halloween Town, and by then he was certain he would know how best to approach his Sally after their kiss last night.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now : ) Thank you again for reading (and for reviewing if you can!) Next chapter, Jack and Sally are finally going to confront each other—I promise fluffiness!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	4. A Merry Christmas Indeed

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Thank you for waiting for the update a bit—I was away all weekend for the holiday. Anyway, thank you all again for the reviews, and I hope you like this installment : )

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 4:**

**A Merry Christmas Indeed**

* * *

Several hours into cleaning and despite how much work her task might have seemed, Sally was still all but dancing around Jack's house as she finished sprucing up everything she could get her hands on. And boy had this place been a, pardon the pun, _nightmare_! Not that Jack's home had been 'dirty' or anything, but disorganization reigned! Sally knew Jack was a brooding and creative person on top of which (except for Zero) he did live alone, so of course she hadn't expected the inside of his house to be in perfect condition. But upon venturing down the rope ladder still attached to her window and then going up the outside stairs and entering the main section of the house, she'd had to pause briefly. "Oh…" Christmas decorations had been strewn everywhere, a portable blackboard had stood in the center of the room covered with yuletide chalk formulas and diagrams and with chalk dust coating the floor around it, tables and furniture had been pushed this way and that, books had been lying all over the place, beakers and test tubes half filled had remained out on tables, and several dozen failed attempts by Jack to cut paper snowflakes that _weren't_ Halloween themed had been scattered all over the floor.

Eyes wide, Sally had just taken it all in, blinking a few times, trying to psyche herself up for the project at hand (and also really appreciating now how tidy Jack had made the tower for her—he really had put a great deal of effort into preparing for her comfort). However, also holding her back just a little from really starting her cleaning had been the fact that she had never actually set foot into Jack's house. The tower sort of felt like a separate space, but this…this was Jack's territory, no question. His style, his essence were everywhere—it even smelled like him in here. Her eyes had traveled over the room and noticed a doorway leading off into a small section in which she could just make out a little wood burning stove and a table… '_Jack's kitchen…_' And then her roving eyes found a large, shut door shaped like a coffin in the wall behind her. Sally had blinked, blushed a bit and glanced away: Jack's bedroom obviously. And she had decided right then that though she would do her best with the rest of this place, she would leave that room alone. It was too private of a place, on top of which…not that she would _ever_ admit it aloud, but if she went into that room she sensed there was a strong chance she might swoon and pass out peacefully right on his bed. And then Jack would come home and find her, and…

Sally had let out a deep breath, clinging to the frame of Jack's front door to steady herself. "A-All right, Sally, enough of that…" she whispered, trying to focus. "You've got work to do." She nodded to herself and then had gotten to work, opening all the curtains and windows to air things out, picking up the stray Christmas decorations and putting them neatly into boxes, organizing the test tubes, and even cleaning out the flue of the wood burning stove, among other things! She did her best not to get too carried away (she didn't want to encroach upon Jack's style or to upset him by moving something he maybe really didn't want moved), but she still tried to be thorough. Sally was determined to show Jack her gratefulness for taking her in and also to prove to him that if she was going to be allowed to live in his home, she could be a useful and productive member of the household.

Anyway, now several hours had passed and Sally was just putting the finishing touch on things. She walked in from the (now spotless, thank you very much) kitchen with a little silver spider web tray in her hands bearing two teacups on saucers, a nice silver spider web teapot with a wisp of steam curling out of the spout, and a plate of small piranha pâtésandwiches. Sally sat down on the sofa in the center of the living room, placed the tea tray down on the little coffee table in front of it and then let out a big, relieved, proud sigh. She untied the cleaning scarf from her hair and reclined back a little to relax, a smile beaming on her face.

Sally looked around the room and smiled more at how all of her efforts had turned out. Oh, she hoped Jack would like i—

_KNOCK KNOCK, SCREAM!_

Sally blinked and sat up straight! '_Who in the world…?'_ She looked to the door curiously, and then for a moment fear overtook her. What if it was Dr. Finkelstein coming to 'claim' her or something? Or what if it was the Mayor and she answered the door and he saw her and then certain assumptions were made, and then those rumors Jack had feared suddenly started to get spread all over town? Not that she wouldn't have gone public about any relationship with Jack in a heartbeat, but she knew they both really ought to talk about things and sort out the details of last night before they made any major announcements. Oh, or what if it was the witches at the door or Undersea Gal and they saw her here and got jealous, and then Jack just happened to come home right then and things got very awkward, and—

"Um…excuse me? Sa—…er…Miss Sally? I…well, I climbed the rope ladder up to the tower and knocked on the sill but no one answered, and then Zero woke up and said you weren't in there but that he thought he heard you down here, so I climbed down and came up the front steps…"

This adorable little explanation delivered humbly in Jack Skellington's voice from behind the door met Sally's ears now and put all of her fears to rest. Meanwhile, Jack paused for a moment as he cleared his throat and clearly awaited some kind of reply from Sally. And meanwhile Sally just sat there on the sofa looking about as wide-eyed and shy and flustered as she had ever looked before. '_M-Miss? He called me…Miss._' Taken out of context, it might have seemed almost a little distancing of Jack to change from just calling her Sally to adding a little title before her name, but she knew better. His adding the 'Miss' meant that for the first time he really was seeing her as a woman first and a friend or citizen second. She had never heard him give anyone the title of Miss before, and she felt very special.

And then of course contributing to Sally's surprise and elation was the simple fact that Jack was actually knocking at his own door and explaining himself to her right now, and all so sweetly and humbly. He was acting so nervous and almost like he might actually go off somewhere else if she responded that she didn't want to see him right now or something.

Suddenly Jack's voice started up again from behind the door, and all of Sally's attention was there once more.

"A-Anyway, um…are you there, Sally?" Jack asked with so much hope.

Instantly Sally blinked and was up off of the sofa, straightening her dress, running her fingers through her hair a few times, and taking some deep breaths to calm herself as she started to approach the door.

A sigh came to her ears now and the sound of Jack mumbling. "Oh dear, what if I missed her? Perhaps she's gone out…or tried to go home to the doctor. I know I should have tried to get back sooner. Oh dear, I—"

"I-I, um…I'm here, Jack. Um…Merry Christmas." This soft salutation was followed by a very small little curtsey on the part of Sally. She had just opened the door (nearly tripping over her own feet as she flew to get it before Jack might leave), and now she just stood there before him in the doorway. Sally smiled a little, her head turned down, and gently clasped her hands in front of her body.

Jack just stood there as well, though in a different posture to say the least. His mouth hung open a little, his eye sockets were wide, and his spine was straight. It had just been so sudden, her appearance…and she was…she was…

A little dreamy smile came to Jack's skeletal grin and his eye sockets went half lidded.

She was lovelier and even more captivating than he had remembered.

"M-Merry Christmas…" Jack managed to say back to her. _'Huh, I almost forgot—it's Christmas day, isn't it?' _He could have almost laughed—he had made such a big hullabaloo about Christmas all these months, and now here was the day and he had almost forgotten! Though, in his defense, Sally _was_ rather distracting, and in such a wonderful way. He sighed and managed to add to his little greeting, "I'm happy you're here. "

"I'm happy I'm here too…" came from Sally's mouth in the quietest, softest voice, and then she turned her eyes even more downward and wrung her hands slightly.

Jack blinked at the reply. "Oh…" he said back softly, rubbing one of his arms. "S-Splendid."

For a moment they just stood there in shy silence, smiling.

And then Sally blinked and cleared her throat and looked to him like she was expecting something.

Jack noticed after a moment and looked back at her. "Um…what is it, Sally?" He gulped, wondering what she might want of him, or if he had forgotten something obvious, or…

Sally blinked few times. "I…well…aren't you going to come in?" she had to ask curiously finally.

Jack blinked a few times now himself. "Oh, I…I just…yes, I just thought I should wait to get invited in, I suppose."

Sally tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "Wait until you're invited in? Jack, don't be silly, it's your own house." She smiled at him.

"I know…" Jack replied back, glancing to the side and shrugging, "But, _you're_ here now, and I'd like you to think of this whole place as just as much your home as it is mine. And besides, I could never just burst in on a lady without knocking." He looked to her again, trying to seem less bashful than he felt.

Jack found Sally appearing surprised at first, but then suddenly she smiled sweetly. "Oh Jack…" Sally replied with a little giggle, "Come inside." Then she reached out and took one of his hands to gently pull him inside after her, the door closing behind them as she walked them over to the sofa and the tea. "And, just so you know, it's sweet of you, but you don't have to call me 'Miss' Sally," she added with a smile over her shoulder, "…Just Sally is fine. Unless of course you'd like me to start calling you 'King Jack.'" She giggled a little again, sitting down on the sofa and looking up at him with a smile.

Jack just stood there for a moment looking down at her with surprise. "Er…" He did his best to take things in as quickly as possible…her touching his hand, her giggling, her little joke about 'Miss Sally' and 'King Jack'. And now she was just being so warm and inviting, and she was talking to him in that same familiar and lighthearted way they had always talked whenever they had stumbled across each other in the past and inevitably had one of their happy conversations.

Jack smiled. "I…no, please, no 'King Jack', that's not necessary at all." He even managed to speak in a more casual tone now. He had been so nervous on his trip back from the Holiday Forest about seeing her, but suddenly he felt like everything between them would be okay. "And I…" Now that he found himself relaxing a little, Jack suddenly started to realize something and paused. This place looked…different. Jack blinked and glanced around, and soon his jaw was hanging open yet again today. He softly plopped down onto the sofa beside Sally in surprise. "Wh-What's…this?" he asked in genuine confusion. The place was just…spotless! The floors had been swept and mopped, the extra Christmas decorations were organized neatly into boxes, all of his scientific items had been carefully put away on a table, his bookshelves were all in order once more, and there were even a few bowls of herbs placed around, giving the room a nice scent like witch hazel and worms wart.

"I did it," Sally quickly replied. "I'm sorry. If you don't like any of it, I can change it back to how it was."

Jack looked to Sally again now. She was glancing down and biting her lower lip, a touch of worry and even distress in her eyes. He shook his skull. "Oh, Sally, I…no…" Jack angled his head down, trying to catch her eyes with his gaze, "I was just surprised. I like it very much actually, it's just…I hope you didn't feel like you had to do this or something—cleaning and cooking like this." He glanced at the tea and sandwiches on the coffee table and then looked back to Sally. "You do know that that's not at all why I requested to have you near me, right?" He smiled. "You're my guest Sally. I just hope this didn't inconvenience you too much."

Sally blinked, understanding his concern now. "Oh Jack, no, of course I didn't feel obligated. But I just…you were so gracious to take care of me last night and to give me a place to go to this morning, and I just wanted to thank you somehow if I could. Besides, Jack, I also wanted to show you that I could contribute somehow to this place. And if I really should think of it as just as much my home as yours now, like you said, well, then of course I wouldn't mind straightening up a little—I wouldn't do any less in a place of my own." She looked up to him with a hesitant smile. "But please let me know if you want to change anything back to how it was before. I did my best not to go overboard, but I know that you might like some things a certain way. So if you'll just let me know then I'll keep that in mind for the future." She smiled fully again.

Jack smiled more at her in return. Then he reached out to take her hand in his, gently squeezing it. He looked into her eyes as he spoke. "Sally…my dearest friend, all of this is absolutely splendid. It was so kind of you to care so much about me and staying here that you wanted to straighten up." He swallowed and then added with a touch of bashfulness, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm just sorry that you had to come down here and see this room in such a state. I've just been so busy with Christmas, and then, well, Zero and I try to keep things tidy but it's just the two of us so we tend to slip up often."

"Oh Jack," Sally waved him off with a smile, "Don't be silly. Really, it wasn't that bad, and I know you've been busy. I'm just happy you think I did all right with it." She cleared her throat and looked him in the eye and added, squeezing his hand a little, savoring the unique feeling of the bones, "I won't be a burden to you, Jack, I promise. I really want to be the best guest I can be."

Jack blinked but then smiled again and shook his head. "Oh Sally, of course you could never be a burden. I'm just happy that you're happy." He squeezed her hand a little in return, savoring the softness of her cloth.

Sally's smile grew. "And I'm happy you're happy, Jack."

For a moment they both just sat there, smiling at each other, still gently touching hands, and just enjoying being able to have this friendly conversation even after all of the changes between them from last night.

And yet they both knew that they needed to probably move on to a 'something more than friendly' conversation now

They started slowly, awkwardly…but trying just the same.

Jack released Sally's hand to clasp his own in his lap, then cleared his throat and began. "So, um…did you sleep well, Sally? I-I mean, last night outside and then also in the tower? I mean, are the accommodations in the tower to your liking?" he stammered out, clearing his throat and doing his best to smile and hoping his nervousness wasn't shining through _too_ much. He let out a calming breath.

Sally nodded, straightening the skirt of her dress a little. "Oh yes, I was very warm outside last night, and the tower is just…well, it's just the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." She glanced away a little, playing with a thread on one of her hems and trying not to smile too much.

Jack couldn't help but smile a touch dreamily. "Well, I…doing so much to keep me and Santa safe last night was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, so the blankets and the tower were the least I could do for you." He managed to shift just a little closer to her on the sofa (though he still kept a decent distance between them.)

"Oh, I…I just wanted to help you, like we said last night." Sally looked to him sweetly, her eyes going a little half lidded. "And, um, thank you again for saving me from Oogie Boogie. You were so brave, Jack, and so heroic. The moment you arrived, I knew Santa and I would be saved." She leaned a little closer in to him, barely realizing she was doing it.

Jack blinked a few times, feeling his breaths growing shallow. She thought he was brave and heroic… "Oh, I just…heard your screams, and I knew I had to save Santa and especially you. What would I do without my dearest friend after all?" He started to lean in a little closer to her as well.

Sally smiled more, feeling so nice. Oh he really did like her, didn't he? She swallowed…and decided to take the plunge. "Jack…?"

Jack nodded. "Yes?" They were so close. A part of his mind was suddenly envisioning another kiss with her, and up here it wouldn't be interrupted…and maybe he could…

"In your note, which was very sweet, you said we should talk about things from last night, Jack. Did you want to talk now?" Sally let out a soft sigh but managed to keep her eyes looking to his, though she couldn't control the feeling of a blush trying to build in her features.

Jack had known this moment was coming of course, and so he quickly came out of his reverie (and tried not to blanch at the direction his reverie had been so easily taking) and nodded to her. "Yes, I do want to talk, Sally. Um, first I…I wanted to talk to you about the doctor, naturally." Jack knew he was avoiding the big thing a little bit, but the doctor really did need to be discussed in his opinion, and so he thought he might as well get that subject out of the way now.

Sally blinked but then nodded. "Oh, um…yes, we can talk about that first. What about him, Jack?" She smiled politely, though inside she was very nervous. What if Jack wanted her to try going back to Doctor Finkelstein? She didn't want to displease Jack but, quite frankly, she refused! She outright refused! She had her freedom, and she was not going to give it up to go crawling back to Doctor Finkelstein and beg for the chance to be his 'number two' servant now or something. Her mind was made up.

However, Jack merely looked at her with a touch of sympathy and cleared his throat. "I, um…I just thought you should know that last night, I saw the Doctor, and he had another creation, Sally—another woman to take care of him, as though he were replacing you. And if me and my silly shenanigans really did cost you your place and living, Sally, then I'm so very sorry." He looked right into her eyes. "I can talk to him if you want and see if he'll take you back. Whatever you'd like me to do, Sally. I just want to help you."

Sally was both surprised and touched by this offer. She smiled, blinking a few times, and then replied brightly, "Oh Jack, I already know about his other creation. I saw them last night, and I've seen him making her for the last few weeks. And it's all right, Jack, really. I actually told the Doctor to make another caretaker. I've been telling him for months, to be honest. And I'm grateful he finally did it." She looked to Jack with conviction in her eyes and a happy smile. "I don't have to be his servant anymore—I can pursue my own interests now, work for myself! And if anything I'm grateful that everything I did to help you and Christmas finally pushed him over the edge about letting me go. I'm free now, Jack. And I have a home here with you. I've never been happier."

A passion glowed in her eyes that almost mesmerized Jack. She… '_Wow…_' She didn't care at all about losing her home, her job, her protector. Her freedom meant that much to her. If anything, she was excited about the new challenges of her life! She was so amazing. "Sally…I…" Jack merely said at first in surprise, "I'm happy you're free, Sally. And I'm very grateful that I didn't ruin something you liked for you." He smiled more and added, "And of course, as I said to you in my note, the tower is yours now to do with as you wish. I won't let you be without a home, Sally…not ever."

Sally just looked back at him, so touched. "Oh thank you, Jack. That's so kind of you. And like I said, anything you'd like help with around here, please just let me know. I'll clean up after myself, I can cook for both of us, and I'll even help take care of Zero too. I don't mind work, Jack, and especially not for someone I care ab—…I…u-um…oh." Sally paused and looked down shyly, clasping her hands together upon her lap. She had almost gotten too comfortable, almost brought them too quickly to the big thing they had to talk about.

And Jack was aware of it too.

"…and especially not for a person you…care about," Jack prompted softly, his own hands clasped in his own lap, and likewise feeling a little overwhelmed. But he was ready finally to say something about the big thing between them, and it seemed she might be ready too.

Sally froze. Jack had finished her sentence again in their lives. She gulped and nodded to him. "Y-Yes…" she whispered softly.

For a moment they were silent.

"I care about you too, Sally."

Jack's soft words met Sally's ears, and then he went on.

"Sally…" Jack continued slowly, "May we talk about our moment together now?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. You don't even have to ask, Jack. We can talk about our kiss." She had her hair over one of her shoulders, and with her fingertips she played with some strands of it mercilessly, feeling a blush starting to build again.

She then heard Jack let out a deep sigh. Sally looked up at him. He was sitting there facing her, and he had an arm resting on the edge of the top of the couch, his skull leaning against his hand.

"Was I too forward Sally?" Jack had to ask first before they went any further. "If I was in any way, I apologize sincerely." He looked into her eyes.

Sally blinked, her eyes going wide, and then instantly shook her head. "Oh…no! No, not at all. I wanted you to, and you were so sweet to wait at the bottom of the hill until I let you know that it was okay and that I was ready for you to come up to me so we could have our moment…our kiss." She smiled a little.

Jack nodded. Then he sat up straight then and cleared his throat, adjusting his tie a little. "All right then, I just wanted to make sure. So then, um…yes, well…I-I'm prepared to go about this properly and like a gentleman."

Sally raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what he might mean by that.

Then Jack let out a breath and placed his hands on his knees and looked to Sally's eyes. "Sally, I care for you as more than a friend. I find you interesting, and intelligent, and charming, and clever, and nice, and sweet, and just…splendid." He smiled a little. "I have many feelings for you, my dearest friend, and if you would indulge me with the honor, I…I…"

Sally was just tingly all over, her leaves practically trembling inside. Her head envisioned him taking her in his arms now and admitting his desire to kiss her and then scooping her up and doing so in the most passionate way possible!

"I would like to court you, Sally, if I may." Jack's words finished, and then he reached into his jacket pocket and produced a fresh red rose for her the likes of which she had never seen before.

At first Sally blinked a few times, feeling some confusion inside at her hopes being a little disappointed. Yet, of course, what Jack had just proposed certainly wasn't a bad thing, and in fact it was the biggest progression of their relationship that she could have reasonably hoped for at the moment. Okay, so he wasn't kissing her again yet and admitting passionate feelings to her—Jack really was a reserved person about things like this, so perhaps she would have to expect some delay. Meanwhile, though, how sweet was it that he wanted to formally court her? And… "Ooo…" Sally finally noticed the flower—so very different from other flowers around here. She reached out with one hand to touch it but then hesitated for just a moment, looking to Jack. "Is it safe?" she asked cautiously.

Jack smiled more and nodded, his gaze going warm. "Yes, quite safe. It's for you, Sally. It's…It's pretty and soft and smells nice and it's red, so it made me think of you. Well, I-I know that you're blue, but your hair is red so, yes…" He cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly. "Anyway, it's safe. I got it on my little journey this morning.

Sally positively beamed! She took the flower and brought it close to her face, smelling it deeply and letting the soft petals brush against her cheek. And it _didn't_ burst into foreboding flames or anything! It was lovely! "Oh Jack, thank you," she cooed sweetly, regarding the gift with love in her eyes. And then she remembered the much bigger part of all he had just said, and she smiled widely and nodded to him. "Oh and yes of course you can court me, Jack. That would make me very happy." She put aside the rose on the tea tray and moved forward to wrap her arms around his bony body in a tight hug, her eyes shut in happiness. "I'd love to be courted by you, Jack Skellington!" she announced with a giggle.

'_Oh dear_…' was all that went through Jack's mind. Contact! So much contact! A tight, warm embrace just like they had shared on the hill last night! He took a breath and then gently patted her on the back before carefully separating himself from her grasp. "Thank you, Sally…heh…" Jack cleared his throat, "I-I'm very honored, and…yes, well…" No longer wrapped up in her soft, delicate arms, he cleared his throat and did his best to seem casual as he went on. "Then I guess, um…would you…may I call on you this evening? I thought dinner and a walk would be, well, appropriate for a first outing if that's all right with you?"

A part of Sally wondered why Jack hadn't really hugged her back just now, yet she was so distracted with the fact that _Jack Skellington was asking her out _that her concern went to the back of her mind for now. She just looked at him dreamily and sighed and nodded. "Oh Jack that would be lovely. Dinner, a walk…. I'm so happy that you feel the same way about me that I feel about you. I barely know what to say. You've been so wonderful to me, Jack, you've always been wonderful to me, and now I…Oh thank you, Jack!" she finished in a gentle, loving coo gazing at him…and then she leaned in with her lips slightly puckered, hoping to share just a small kiss of celebration on his mouth (though she would have settled for giving a brief kiss of affection to his smooth, bony cheek, or even a little peck to his non-existent nose).

Jack, however, gasped at her response, panicked, and then he tossed himself backward onto the arm of the couch, just missing getting caught by her lips. His chest rose and fell with heaving breaths as he looked up and tried to calm himself down so that he could speak, though the task was not an easy one. There was just so much happening so fast, and then all of her enthusiasm, and then another kiss? '_No, no, that's not supposed to happen right now! That's not even supposed to happen __tonight__! It's only our first outing! She must just be caught up in the heat of the moment or something, and I can't take advantage of her like that!_' Jack shook his skull, doing his best to sit up a little again. "I-I, um…Sally…" he straightened his tie and looked to her, doing his best to speak calmly and rationally, "Heh, um…I'm happy that you accept and want to go on our outing tonight, and I'm happy that you've enjoyed our friendship and that you're enjoying our new relationship. And you're very welcome for everything, of course. But, um…now that we've talked about this, I feel that perhaps we should wait until our actual courtship outing before we…b-before anything…before we act upon our feelings, all right?" He looked to her with a gulp, but did his best to smile casually.

Meanwhile Sally now felt embarrassed. She had been so caught up in her happiness, and then she had just wanted to kiss him again but…he had ducked away from her. She had closed her eyes and leaned closer…then closer…then closer to the point where she had almost fallen over, but there had just been air. Then she had opened her eyes and blinked a few times as he had made his explanations to her, after which she had just shrunken back in utter shyness, straightening her dress and feeling so foolish. Had _she_ been too forward just now, not just with the near kiss but with her hug as well? Did she like kissing and embracing him more than he liked kissing and embracing her? Or was there something wrong between them that she just wasn't picking up on?

But then she had listened to Jack's desire to wait until tonight. She considered and finally shrugged. _'All right…yes, maybe waiting until our official date would be better_,' she tried to tell herself. '_After all, his feelings must be newer than mine, so I'm sure he's still getting used to things. Maybe he just needs some more time and the right mood before we can kiss and be close again._' Sally sighed and did her best to smile. She loved that single kiss they had shared, and she craved more, and she just hoped that soon Jack would like kissing (and other things) a lot too. "All right, Jack," Sally nodded to him, "Of course. Um…sorry, I just got carried away, I guess. I'm just so happy." She smiled warmly at him.

Jack smiled and let out a relieved sigh. _'I knew she was carried away. I was right to pull back from her._' He nodded to her. "Oh don't think of it, Sally," he assured. "After all, this is such a new thing for both of us, I…I can barely contain myself either." He smiled kindly at her.

Sally smiled kindly back, though inside she still longed a little for something more. "Of course, Jack. We can always work out more between us tonight. Um, should we meet around five maybe when the sun goes down?"

Jack nodded. "That sounds perfect. And, Sally?" He looked to her with a touch of hesitation.

She nodded. "Yes, Jack?"

"Um…" Jack cleared his throat, clasping his hands together in his lap, "I was wondering if for now we could keep our courtship a little discreet? I just…I think it would be better if we waited until things are a little more cemented and worked out between us before we let the town know. I don't want you to get bothered with too much attention, Sally, or for any rumors to start to spread that might make us feel pressured or unnerved. Is that all right with you?" His full attention was directed toward her response to the delicate situation.

Sally considered the request and finally nodded. His reasoning made perfect sense, and hadn't she been thinking the same to herself about the matter not long ago? Besides, to be honest, she didn't exactly relish the idea of running into town for some extra needles or worms wart and getting stared at by everyone and whispered about…or at least not without an 'I love you madly' and a few dozen kisses from Jack under her belt. "Yes, that makes sense, Jack. Okay, we can keep things quiet for now." She smiled. "I understand."

Jack looked to her gratefully. "Thank you, Sally. I appreciate that." Then he yawned and stretched his skull to the side a tiny bit, blinking a few times. "And now there is one more favor I have to ask of you, Sally."

Sally nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Jack, what is it?"

Jack smiled at her again, though something in his eye sockets seemed fading at the moment. "Would you hate me terribly if I spent the next few hours before our outing taking a small nap? I'm dreadfully sorry about it, but I've barely slept over the last few weeks and I've been up since before dawn and doing a lot of walking—that's where I got the rose. And I want to be at my best for this evening. So would it be okay with you if I took a few of these delightful-looking sandwiches you made back to my room and retired for a bit? And of course in the meantime you have free access to go wherever you want, inside or outside of the house," he assured with a nod of his head.

Sally smiled warmly at him. "Jack, of course, please eat something and get some rest. I don't know how you're still walking around right now at all actually. You take a nice nap, and then later we can spend time together. Oh, um…just so you know…" she swallowed and glanced to the side shyly with a little smile persisting that she couldn't help, "I cleaned everywhere down here except for your bedroom. I didn't want to intrude."

Jack blinked and glanced to the side shyly as well. "O-Oh, um…yes, of course. How considerate of you, Sally, heh…" He cleared his throat and adjusted his bat bow tie, and then he stood up from the sofa. "All right then, well…I'll see you in a few hours, Sally. Oh and don't worry about dinner, I'll take care of everything, I promise. Just be expecting me to come calling for you at five. There's a secret staircase through the attic passage in this part of the house that leads to a trap door in the floor of the tower. Please use that way to come back and forth between the house and the tower from now on—I'll be using it to come to you this evening. The trap door is near your sofa upstairs hidden by the shadow of the gargoyle alongside the fireplace. Remember, five o'clock." Jack winked at her. "Until then…" and then he summed up his courage, reached for her hand, and gave the back of it a soft kiss. "Have a spooky afternoon, and Merry Christmas again, Sally." He released her hand after a few precious seconds, gave her a bow, and then took two sandwiches and scurried off to his room with a shy smile, closing the coffin-like door behind him.

Sally just sat there on the sofa, awestruck for a moment, looking at the back of her hand.

Then (as quietly as she could) she grabbed a throw pillow and released a huge giggle into it, grinning ear to ear!

'_I'm being courted by Jack! I'm being courted by Jack! Oh I'll have to fix my hair and double check all of my stitches and fix up my dress, and I should probably follow his example and take a nap so that I'm refreshed and ready too!'_ Sally nodded to herself and then stood up, brought the tea tray into the kitchen, and dashed back into the living room to find the attic passage in the ceiling. She pulled the cord, climbed up a ladder, and soon found herself in front of the secret staircase leading up to the tower. Sally ascended and, upon opening the trap door and finding herself in her tower room again, collapsed onto her sofa in the midst of blankets and throw pillows. She secured a promise from Zero, who was lying by the fire right near her, that he would wake her up in no more than an hour so that she would have time to get ready. And then Sally let herself fall into the happiest and most comfortable sleep she had ever had, full of dreams of her and Jack and kisses and dates and weddings galore (and perhaps some babies too).

* * *

Meanwhile, in Jack's bedroom, Jack had finished his sandwiches and removed his jacket, tie and shoes. And now he was lying down for a nap of his own, though he was having a little more trouble in dreamland than his dear Sally. Visions of himself pushing things too far too quickly and Sally leaving him flitted through his mind…as did visions of trying to kiss her again and not being able to make the moment even close to as perfect as that one last night had been (for all he knew it had been a fluke and he was in reality a horrible kisser!). Oh, and worst of all, there were visions of modest, quiet Sally being overwhelmed by what the town might say when they announced their courtship and her leaving him, unable to handle all of the attention and questions. In his sleep, Jack gripped at his pillows, willing the bad thoughts away and just trying to focus on Sally—her sweetness and kindness—and how right this felt for them, and just trying to believe that everything between them would all be okay.

On Jack's nightstand the little satchel of heart candies from Flora sat. Jack hadn't thought to eat one before his brief rest now. However, later, after his and Sally's date tonight when he was getting ready for bed, he would remember how uneasy this nap had been and recall the candies' promise to make a person more at peace with their emotions and to leave a sleeper feeling just lovely in the morning. And so Jack would chew a couple candies before falling asleep…and experience their 'effects' in short order.

But for now Jack had his doubtful sleep and Sally had her hopeful one…and they would meet tonight at five o'clock to try finally courting one another.

* * *

While Jack had been returning home and he and Sally had been getting better acquainted on more intimate terms for the first time, Flora had just been enjoying her afternoon in Valentine Town by resting upon a large tree bough near Lover's Lane, eating chocolate covered cherries (she happened to be residing in a 'chocolate covered cherry' tree, actually), and gazing at all of the loving couples passing by with a smile. A peaceful sigh left her. "We have so much love here. It'll be so nice to spread that love among the humans too in only a few weeks. And now that Halloween Town finally knows about the holidays, perhaps we can even start sharing our love among the other worlds and learning about new forms of love from them."

"Queen Cupidity Amora Flora, I know you're around here—I could sense and see your emotions a mile away." A deep sigh. "Now, please, tell me you're lounging around eating snacks and admiring the lovers with only six weeks until our holiday so that I can have a heart attack finally after all of these centuries and just get it over with already."

Flora put down a particularly large cherry she had been about to bite into and sighed deeply herself. She slumped on her tree branch, making no move to leave, but did call out in reply to the concerned and rather tired-sounding voice that had been seeking her out, "Madame Minister Marigold, how kind of you to find me and interrupt my musings." She grinned a little. "You know, I know we're on a schedule here, but love is a delicate and subtle art—it needs time to breathe and grow on its own in order to mature properly. It's a state of being that can truly be bound by no force or calendar." Flora sighed again, smiling peacefully to herself and finishing her chocolate covered cherry.

"And yet," the voice, which indeed belonged to Minister Marigold, returned in a mixture of amusement and exasperation (as meanwhile the speaker made her way through trees and brush toward Flora), "in case you've somehow missed the large ticking clock of months and days right in the town square over the last few hundred years, we do have a schedule to keep and it is indeed tied to a calendar. Does the date February 14th ring a bell?"

Flora laughed merrily. "Oh Mari, you worry too much. Every year it's the same thing." She shook her head. "We've all been working so hard—everything will be done on time just like it always is, I promise. Would could you possibly have to fret about now?"

"Oh, I don't know…" and suddenly Minister Marigold pushed through a few low hanging branches and appeared right beneath the 'chocolate covered cherry' tree, "Maybe the fact that along with lazing about in the middle of a day perfect for finishing Valentine's preparations, word on the cobblestoned streets is that we had a Halloween Town visitor, and I just know you had something to do with him not leaving for a good two hours." She let out a deep sigh and looked up at Flora, arms crossed over her chest. Marigold wore a shimmering gold robe, and she had red hair almost a deep amber in color and the lightest blue eyes like a hazy summer sky. Over those eyes she wore rose-colored glasses, but hers were only half-moon frames, allowing her either to bend her gaze down and see through the rosy glass or to glance slightly upward and see things without any assistance. Right now she was looking at Flora without aid of the rose-glass and frowning considerably, a stack of several pieces of parchment and scrolls in one of her arms.

"Mari, sometimes it concerns me how well you know me." Flora finally dropped down from the tree (revealing that in comparison to the average Valentine Town citizen like Marigold, she was actually a few inches taller). She straightened her robe and smiled at her friend. "I'm afraid you're too stressed. We really ought to get you a hobby." Her grin picked up a little on one side. "I've noticed that a few of the charming archers we have catch your eye from time to time. I could brew up some love elixir, and you know I always keep some pocket arrows in my robe. Why don't I set you up a nice little outing—you can relax, practice wooing and being wooed a little. I really think it would help you."

Marigold sighed very deeply, her look going dry. "Oh yes, let's do that six weeks before the annual purpose of our lives comes back around for us to fulfill—in fact, why don't we all just forget Valentine's Day this year and take a grand spa weekend." She threw her free arm up in the air. "It'll work out perfectly—I'm sure that crazy Halloween King, Jack whoever-he-is, would be happy to fill in for us in a pinch. Then everyone can get deadly scorpions in their chocolates and be shot with love arrows that actually physically pierce and maul flesh, and we can all have a grand laugh about it with Santa Claus." A small huff of a sigh left her and she added, gathering her parchments and scrolls together more closely. "And on another point entirely, no charming archer's catch my eye—I observe them to make sure they're doing their job right. Kind of like what I do with you only, you know, the archer's consistently take their positions seriously."

"I do take my position seriously, Marigold," Flora assured, frowning a little and gesturing to herself with a hand. "But I do have to take some enjoyment in my work along with responsibility. Otherwise maybe I'll pop off and steal another holiday myself just for a little vacation from all of this."

"Honestly, I always thought you actually would be the one to do something like that. I still can't believe that insane Halloween ruler beat you to it." Marigold rolled her eyes, grinning to herself a little as she checked something over on the scroll before her. "But enough joking around—you are to have no more visitors for now, and for the rest of the day we have to check over the valentine card production, rehearse your own archery show for the parade, look over your costume…."

"You know, I really haven't just been admiring the couples and eating chocolate this whole time I've been out of your sight. I actually met with our Halloween visitor and had a nice talk with him," Flora replied, crossing her arms over her chest and smiling mysteriously.

"And I'm sure you told him we're not looking to become a tourist attraction at the moment, at least not until after the holiday and until after we've made absolutely certain that their world does not pose a threat to ours." Marigold barely glanced up from her papers.

Flora grinned proudly. "Actually, I gave him some romantic advice, and I practiced a little diplomacy. Turns out he was none other than the one and only King Jack Skellington. Who would have guessed? I think my efforts went a long way toward setting the groundwork for some friendly relations between our worlds."

"Oh, well, that's nice…" Then Marigold blinked and her mouth hung open. Her eyes darted to Flora. "The King was here. The Halloween King was here, and you allowed him to be alone with you knowing that the last leader he was left alone with was nearly killed?!"

"Oh relax!" Flora waved her off. "I didn't tell him who I was exactly—I gauged his intentions a little first." She smiled. "He's very nice and well-mannered, and his intentions were some of the purest I've ever encountered. He's fallen quite in love with somebody back home it seems, which to me explains his recent actions very thoroughly. His feelings were repressed and it drove him a little crazy—it happens to the best of us. But now that he's aware of the true nature of the longing that made him so attracted to Christmas, he seems much better off. I advised him on love, allowed him to observe a little bit of our practices here, and wished him well." She could see Marigold about to object. Flora came forward and held up a hand. "Everything will be fine, Mari. You know I know people and their hearts better than anybody else. He is an honorable King. And I have full faith in the strength of his heart."

Marigold considered, appeared frustrated for a moment, but then just sighed and nodded. "Very well. You're right about one thing, you do know people and their hearts best of all. If you say this Jack is a good, reliable person, I know he must be. You are our Heart Queen, and I concede to your judgment as always." She smiled at Flora softly. "Just please don't overextend yourself. Along with making sure the details of our holiday run smoothly, my job is also to make sure you can do your job in happiness and peace. If this King Jack needs help directly from you, he may need to wait until after Valentine's Day, okay?"

Flora nodded, smiling softly in return to Marigold. "Of course. Our holiday must come first. I'll refrain from any direct help until after it's over. But for now I did provide him with some of my heart candies just to help ease his inhibitions a little. A good night's sleep after a few of those, and he'll feel much more comfortable about pursuing a romantic relationship with his lady friend. And I'll have spread a little love among another world." She smiled more. "Now come on, let's get on with those holiday preparations. And I promise nothing but Valentine's Day will be on my mind for the rest of the day." And with that and a nod to her most trusted adviser, Flora put her arms behind her back and proceeded to stride forward back toward town.

Marigold followed by her side. She was smiling at having gotten her Queen back on track about holiday preparations. Yet a touch of concern couldn't help coming to her features. "Flora…those candies—you know they work on humans and on our kind, but this King Jack is 'dead' and from Halloween Town. Are you certain it was safe to give him those candies? I mean, could his circumstances alter the effect in any negative way?"

Flora shook her head. "His circumstances shouldn't make a difference. Emotional responses affect their potency, not physical ones. He's simply a man who has recently fallen in love and doesn't know how to express himself to the woman he cares for. He'll be fine in the end, I can feel that. And my feelings about these things are always right."

Marigold sighed. "Yes, but sometimes your 'feelings' take the long way around before they end up being right. What if there are complications?"

"Then I will take full responsibility for them, Marigold," Flora assured in a tone suddenly very professional and with a solemn nod. As she went on, she smiled and nodded to a few subjects who waved and even bowed to her (they had just come out among the main street of the town). "I know that it might have been better for me to try an approach that didn't involve any of my scientific amorous creations, but like you said, Mari, we're running on a tight schedule at the moment, and from what Jack told me he was just shy about their first date. And it's not like I gave him anything terribly potent like elixir or potion or arrows: those candies are the mildest thing in my love arsenal. I'm sure nothing can go wrong. But if it does, he of course knows where to find me after all." She nodded to herself. "Everything will be all right, I promise." She smiled at her friend, her tone and gaze full of sincerity, her prism eyes losing their look of spontaneity and taking on a gaze of maturity.

Marigold smiled in return but then raised an eyebrow. "If he does come back soon, will you tell him you're the Heart Queen?"

Flora shrugged. "If he comes back after Valentine's Day then, of course, absolutely. But if he comes back before then, I think not unless he was to ask me directly. Jack seemed rather skittish about being in a new world, probably due to his experience with Christmas—I believe he's rather embarrassed of his actions. So along with getting over that embarrassment and getting a handle on his new relationship, I don't want him to be worrying about diplomatic relations with us. Let him get to know me like this first, without the pressure of trying to impress a holiday leader. We can make the formal introductions after Valentine's Day."

Marigold nodded. "Very well, if that's what you think is best." She smiled a little to herself and shook her head. "Six weeks until Valentine's Day and you're dedicating part of your time to playing private matchmaker to two people—to two dead people." She tried not to laugh. "I wonder if King Jack has an advisor of his own scrambling around while _he's_ off brooding over random things and playing games come holiday time."

Flora giggled. "Oh come on, I'm not that bad, and I'm sure Jack's not either. If you're running a holiday, you have to know how to have fun just as much as anything else." Her grin picked up on one side. "And speaking of fun, if you want me to look into this Halloween advisor you haven't met yet, I could prepare a small arrow for you and set you up a nice little date—perhaps overlooking the rose fields here or overlooking the graveyard in his world. What do you say?"

"I say you truly are the Heart Queen through and through." Marigold grinned back at her. "And I say stop stalling and let's get to our preparations. Come on, Cupidity Amora Flora, we're here and it's time for work." She gave her a nudge in the direction of a large Parthenon-like building with white pillars and marble steps and the words 'City Hall' etched upon the front of the roof in gold.

Flora smiled and shook her head but went along. "Of course, Madame Minister. Whatever we need in the ways of love, I'll always be here to provide it." The two ladies went up the steps and into the building together to see to their Valentine's Day tasks for the rest of the afternoon.

And meanwhile, Jack and Sally still slept so peacefully in Halloween Town as they prepared for their first date (or 'outing' as Jack humbly liked to describe it) together.

* * *

**A/N:**

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter is date time ^_^ And after that, Jack starts trying some of the Valentine Town candies, and then the fun begins. I hope you like what's to come! Also, I know there can be mixed responses to OC's, so I just want to let you know that while we will see Flora again a few times through this story, she's definitely not going to be dominating things. Jack and Sally are the center of this fic all the way :)

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	5. Everything but the Goodnight Kiss

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Thank you for your reviews and for your patience with updates ^_^ I'll do the best I can to keep them as regular and frequent as possible. In this installment, Jack and Sally finally have their first date! And in the next chapter, things start to get a little complicated…which is partially why I've upped the rating on this to T. ^^ There's some escalation that ups itself as the fic goes along (mostly due to a Heart Queen and certain magic candies.) I'll try to post the next chapter asap, and I hope you all enjoy where the story goes : )

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 5:**

**Everything but the Goodnight Kiss**

* * *

Over the course of the afternoon, and with only a few hours notice, a needle and thread, and a little ingenuity, Sally had made herself as presentable as could be for her evening with Jack. The first thing she had done after waking up from her brief nap was to draw a basin of water for herself from the little sink up here, and then she had created a makeshift dress dummy out of an old coat rack in the corner. Next, Sally had taken one of the sheets Jack had left up here for her sofa bed and pinned one end of it to the top of a tall bookshelf and the other end to the edge of a high shelf, effectively creating a little changing area for herself in a corner of the room. Going behind the curtain, Sally removed her dress and tossed it over the top, and then she had taken down the sheet and wrapped herself in it, pinning it around her body. Gathering up her patchwork dress, Sally had next put the garment through a good washing in the basin of water. Then she had wrung it out and hung it up on the 'dress dummy' near the fire to dry.

Her dress taken care of for the moment, Sally had next looked to herself. All of her stitches were nice and tight (she had seen to that earlier when waiting for Jack), so she went over to the basin of water and dabbed at her arms and legs a little with a spare piece of rag to clean herself up. Then she had dunked her whole head of yarn hair into the basin and pulled it out, wringing it thoroughly. Using a needle and thread, she pinned up her hair so that it would dry and then moved on to gathering some of the herbs and incense she had placed up here as part of her cleaning. She dabbed the fragrant items on her neck and around her body. Satisfied with the light smell now about her, Sally had seen to her lips next: she took some outer petals from the rose Jack had given her downstairs and crushed them in a small bowl with some ashes and a little water and a touch of candle wax. She then applied this mixture carefully to her lips, doing her best to dye that fabric a bit of a deeper, richer red. It was a little hard to get the substance to absorb at first, but soon Sally succeeded. She then picked up the hand mirror Jack had left her to examine her work, and Sally had to smile and even giggle a little: with her hair pinned up and her lips an extra deep shade of scarlet and the sheet wrapped snugly around her body like a dress, she looked and felt quite pretty: prettier than she ever had in her entire life, in fact. Sally had giggled more and then snatched up her needles and thread, going back over to the fire and her dress.

Her dress was dry now, Sally began the next stage of her work with it. Honestly, she wished she had material to make a whole new dress for this special night, but this was what she had and this was what she would work with. She took a pair of scissors from a drawer and cut away the uneven and ragged hem of the bottom of her dress and the bottom of her sleeves. Then she had carefully rolled up the ends of the fabric, stitching brand new fresh hems on the dress (and effectively shortening the length of the dress just a little at the same time). Finally, her familiar patchwork dress in the best state she could get it in, Sally went across the room and pulled the basin of water over to the fire near the dress. She set the basin over the flame and left it there to eventually boil and produce steam that would remove any wrinkles from the garment. Finally, Sally had finished by taking the rag she had used to clean herself up and given her shoes a quick shine.

Done with all of this preparation, Sally had let out a sigh of satisfaction and then plopped down on the sofa with a good book while she waited for the steaming to be done. "Now all I have to do is brush out my hair and decide what to do with it," she had thought to herself with a smile.

* * *

So now, just before five o'clock, here Sally was in her room and all dressed up and ready to go—her newly-tailored patchwork dress upon her, her lips still stained red, and her freshly washed and dried hair unpinned and falling in small waves down her back. She looked at herself in the hand mirror again. "Ooo…" Her hair looked quite pretty like this! She liked it! She ran the fishbone comb through it a couple of times just to neaten it up a bit, and now she felt perfect and completely prepared for her date with Jack in a few minutes.

Sally sat down on her sofa and waited for now, just staring up at the face of the grandfather clock in the corner as the hands ticked closer and closer until she would get to be all alone with… '_Jack_…' Sally sighed deeply, feeling her flustered leaves almost building up a warmth inside of her like a living blush. "Oh Jack…" She wanted to be in his arms again, she wanted him to look at her in that way he did now, with interest and desire and… _'Love. I want Jack to love me._' And Sally wanted him to kiss her, and she wanted to be with him…and the moment it hit five, she would either let him right into her room up here or she would march downstairs and go right to him herself, whichever got them together more quickly! Sally had been waiting for a very, very, very long time to be courted by Jack Skellington, and when the hour struck she had no intention of waiting any longer.

* * *

Meanwhile, there might have been nothing more pitiable and yet endearing than Jack's version of 'getting ready' for his 'big date'…

Jack had slept for a rather long time considering his fatigue. By four o'clock though, he was up and staring at his collection of clothing with an intensity only rivaled by that which he had expressed during his scientific study of Christmas, though that intensity seemed a little unwarranted to say the least. In fact, every single item of clothing in his armoire was a pinstriped suit, so his options were obviously limited. And yet, for quite a while now, Jack had literally just been staring at all of these suits, pretty much just trying to decide which pinstriped suite was the 'pinstripiest'…and which Sally might like the most.

'_Black with light grey stripes…or black with dark grey stripes…or black with white stripes…or black with off white stripes.' _Toward the end, Jack had been ready to just drop to his knees in desperation in front of the armoire at the very idea of choosing the wrong one until he had been snapped out of his dramatics by Zero flying in through his window and suddenly barking urgently at him.

"Ah!" Jack jumped and turned around to the little dog, blinking several time. "Z-Zero, I-I'm sorry, you startled me. What is it, boy?"

Zero instantly flew over to the clock in Jack's bedroom, illuminating it extra with his glowing nose.

Jack blinked! "4:30! Oh dear, oh dear, maybe I should—" He didn't have time to finish his sentence though as suddenly a suit was thrown out of his armoire and right into his arms and face by none other than Zero himself. "Oh! Erm…"

"Arf! Arf!" Zero barked firmly, giving Jack a bit of a look.

Jack blinked again, and then finally sighed and nodded. "Oh, all right, I suppose that I really do just need to pick something already, don't I?" He looked to Zero, smiling a touch sheepishly.

Zero smiled and nodded his head firmly, and then he was instantly nudging Jack behind his tall, black, skull-and-spider themed changing screen in the corner of his room.

"Whoa! All right, Zero, I'm changing, I'm changing, I promise!" Jack assured with a laugh as he stumbled behind the screen and quickly began to do so.

Jack changed while he talked, and while he talked Zero flew across the room into his drawers and picked out a very nice clean white shirt and the nicest, fanciest bat bowtie that Jack owned for his master as Jack tossed his former clothes piece by piece over the top of the screen and onto his bed.

"Zero…do you think Sally really is happy here?"

"Arf!" Zero replied with a firm nod, resting the new shirt and tie over the top of the changing screen.

Jack sighed. "All right. I just worry. Honestly, I don't even know why she would like me as much as she does. I mean, just look at her—look how she smiles when she's around me, and how she cleaned up this whole house for me, and then she listens to me and cares about me so very much when I've hardly shown her the attention she's deserved all of these years. I really don't understand how she could like me so much. She's an amazing woman, Zero, and I'm just a skeleton who almost destroyed a holiday." Jack sighed again, reaching up now and grabbing the shirt and tie. "I'm going to have to be so careful, Zero, if I'm going to maintain her affections. I just don't want her to be disappointed in me. I want to give her everything she deserves in a gentleman companion."

"Arf!" Zero barked with an eyebrow raised and a little frown, pausing for a moment in rubbing a rag over a pair of shoes he had chosen for his master.

"Oh Zero, I appreciate the vote of confidence, really," Jack went on. "But…still, this is romance we're talking about, Zero. I have no idea how to be romantic. Okay, well, I mean, I've had some thoughts on the subject before. But for tonight at least, I think it might be best if I just go with what I learned in Valentine Town so that I don't get carried away and start singing her ballads of my undying devotion before our first date's even over. You know, visiting Valentine Town turned out to be a very nice experience actually…e-even if some of the couples in certain places were a little 'intense'. The younger couples were so sweet, though. I hope I can follow their example well so that Sally and I can ease into things." Clearing his throat, Jack now stepped out from behind his screen, fully changed and adjusting his tie. "Erm…what do you think, Zero?" Jack shrugged, looking to his little dog friend modestly. Zero had chosen a black suit with light grey pinstripes, a bat bowtie with slightly larger lapels that Jack usually kept around to wear on formal occasions, and a dress shirt that was a warm ivory color just a little darker than Jack's bones.

Zero smiled and nodded and spun in an enthusiastic circle, wagging his little tail. He quickly picked up and flew the pair of shoes he had chosen over to Jack. Then Zero dashed over to Jack's bureau where he snagged a little white cloth, flew quickly back over to his master once more, and started polishing his skull a little.

Jack chuckled warmly, holding up his hands. "Hey! Okay, okay, I'll get cleaned up now, I promise! And thank you for helping me pick out a suit, Zero." Jack sighed and took the cloth and polished his skull a little more. Then he went over to his mirror and dabbed himself with the distilled oils of several fragrant dark root extracts he had on hand. He finished by going over to the sink basin, taking a swig of worms wart and licorice extract, gargling it, and spitting it out. Then Jack looked to himself in the mirror, and he actually smiled. He felt…nice. Handsome, even, in a way he had never felt before. He sort of liked it.

Jack sighed blissfully, gazing in the mirror more, imagining Sally on his arm. "Sally…. She'll be so happy tonight. We'll go for a stroll in the darkness, and then we'll come back here and I'll prepare us dinner, and then we'll talk and I'll escort her back to her room. Oh but first thing's first. I'll go to her door now, and…" Suddenly, Jack blinked…and then his eye sockets went wide. "Zero!" He turned to his best friend. "I have nothing to present Sally with! No trinket, no present, nothing! Whenever any of the little boys in Valentine Town came to court any of the little girls, they always brought them a little something—chocolates, a bracelet, flowers, someth—"

Jack was cut short in his 'woe is me' speech by Zero floating up, popping an old Christmas ball into his master's mouth, and then quickly flying up and out of Jack's window (but not before winking at him).

Jack just looked in perplexity after his faithful friend and blinked a few times. Then he spit the Christmas ball out of his mouth and just scratched his skull.

"Arf Arf!" the little dog called after him in assurance.

Jack still looked confused but then just sighed to himself in acceptance. He knew Zero was definitely thinking more clearly than he was about all of this, and Jack trusted him to help with the situation. In the meantime, though, Jack glanced at the clock. He only had about ten minutes left to himself—he chose to use the time sighing to himself and pacing and trying to assure himself that tonight would be all right and that he was just being a little too dramatic and that sensible Sally would certainly have reasonable expectations for how he would be as a romantic person—not like the witches and the undersea gal who clearly thought his prowess could make 'walls fall' and 'mountains crack'. "We'll be fine. And I'm being silly. I know Sally cares about me sincerely, and I've spent the better part of the day refreshing myself on the best way to behave on an outing with a young lady." Jack turned to his bureau mirror now. "You've done all you can, Jack, and this will all work out as long as you keep doing your best."

Jack nodded to his reflection and did his best to smile. "All right then…time to get going." He straightened his tie a little, did his best to seem calm and cool and confident, and then proceeded out of his bedroom door and in the direction of the attic entrance off of his living room. Just as he pulled down the ladder, Zero flew in through one of the living room windows and dropped something in his master's hand. "Oh!" Jack blinked at the item he had received—it was a freshly picked bouquet of dried black chrysanthemums! Jack looked up only to see Zero wink down at him with a smile. Jack smiled back up at his best friend and waved. "Thank you, Zero."

"Arf!" Zero nodded and then flew off to go play in the graveyard with his other ghost friends for the evening.

Jack smiled down at the little bouquet. "Okay, then…here we go. My first date with Sally." Jack headed up the ladder and then proceeded up the staircase to Sally's tower. As he went along he whispered to himself, smiling more and more as he did so. " 'Hello, Sally. How are you? You look splendid this evening. It's a pleasure to be here. Hello, Sally. How are you? You look splendid this evening. It's a pleasure to be here. Hello, Sally…'" Jack continued to rehearse to himself as he ascended closer and closer to Sally.

* * *

"Miss Sa—…er, Sally? It's me, Jack. Are you ready for our outing? Unless, of course, you're too tired or something from cleaning today and then everything with Christmas. I just want to do what's best for you…"

Hearing these words from Jack Skellington on the other side of her tower's trap door after a brief knock made an eager Sally just light up! She nodded enthusiastically and called out to Jack as she approached the trap door. "I'm ready, Jack. And don't be silly…" Sally opened the door and then gazed down upon her companion for the evening with a smile, taking one of his arms. "Of course I'm not too tired, and of course I want to go out with you!" She gently pulled him up into the landing of the room. Then Sally released Jack's arm and giggled, stepping back and looking at him with wide eyes. "Oh, dearest Jack…" she couldn't help but coo. He looked so handsome, so intriguingly handsome, and he had made himself that way all for her. Sally sighed softly, glancing down with a beaming smile and clasping her hands together.

Jack didn't understand at first why she was acting so shy…but at the moment he was a bit too distracted by other things to think about it too much. To begin with, when she acted so coy around him like that, it just about put him over the moon. He'd had women over the centuries get grabby, obsessed, demanding, fawning, but had never seen one act like this around him—so gentle, so caring. He wanted gentle, he wanted to be cared for…and it made him want to give it all back to her in return. And the other part of Jack's distraction at the moment was the fact that Sally just looked… There weren't words. He had left her up here with only a comb, a mirror, some thread and needles, and a few other little necessaries—how in the world had she…? Her dress looked brand new and it was even cut differently, her hair fell in soft yarn waves he had never known or imagined it could make, she smelled like an autumn night during a harvest moon, and her lips…. He didn't want to notice them so much but couldn't help it—they were just so fresh and pretty and red and inviting now. What would it be like to press his skeletal grin against them, to warm them…caress them…warm her…caress her…collapse with her in the snow as he had wanted to do last night and say things to her that he hadn't even known were inside of him but that he could feel longing to come out, and just…

"Jack…?"

The soft saying of his name by Sally snapped Jack out of his distraction in an instant. He stood up straight as a board, feeling his skull warming up. '_Oh for the love of…focus, Jack! For the sake of not completely humiliating yourself, please_.' Jack let out a deep breath, let go of his awkwardness, and managed to smile at her and reply normally, "Yes, Sally?"

Sally was smiling and blushing a light, purplish color. She swayed a little on her feet. "I don't want to presume, but…are those for me?" She reached out her delicate cloth finger to point at the bouquet in Jack's hand.

Jack blinked and nodded, almost having forgotten about the flowers. "Oh! Oh, yes, of course…I…. These are for you!" He quickly handed them to her then cleared his throat and said almost automatically, "H-Hello, Sally. How are you? You look splendid this evening. It's a pleasure to be here…Um—Oh!"

Suddenly Sally had flown against him, arms wrapped tightly around his thin bony frame. She giggled joyfully and squeezed him with more force than Jack had ever thought she possessed. Then Sally pulled back to give him the happiest smile he had ever seen one person give another. "Oh Jack, I'm wonderful, and you look so dashing, and thank you for so many flowers today, and I've never been happier to be anywhere in my entire life! Let's go!" She placed the bouquet quickly down upon her coffee table and then she was instantly pulling Jack over to her window.

"Er…" Jack stumbled a little but quickly matched pace with her, though he had to raise an eyebrow. "Sally, what—"

"Come on, Jack, we can take the rope ladder outside to start on our walk—it'll be fun!" Sally explained, turning to begin climbing out of the sill.

Jack hesitated, raising his brow even more. "Uh, Sally, are you sure? It's dark, and I don't want you to hurt yourself or anything. It just seems risky."

Sally just giggled, sitting on the sill for a moment with her legs hanging outside. "Oh Jack, I can manage. Trust me. Besides…" she couldn't help but smirk in a touch of playfulness, "_I'm_ not the one who took a flying sleigh a few thousand feet in the air in the middle of bombs going off overhead, am I?" She tapped his nose with her finger, gave his cheek a little kiss, and then straightened his tie a bit from the hug she had given him. "Now come on, let's just have a good night and see where the evening takes us, hmm?" Then Sally was off climbing down the rope ladder.

Jack just stood there for a moment, feeling his bones heat up at her little actions. "Um…I suppose…all right then." He nodded and started climbing down after her, and he had to smile a little as he went along. She could be so thrilling sometimes, so funny, so strange…but so intriguing…and so…fun. He smiled more to himself, wondering what other things he would get to learn about her on this date.

Sally dropped to the ground first with Jack following after her, both of them making light plops in the snow with their feet. As they turned to each other, Jack chuckled a little. "You're right, Sally, that was rather fun—certainly more fun than taking a rickety sleigh in the air and being shot at." He laughed a little more.

Sally giggled softly. " Thank you, Jack. I'm glad you're having a good time with me so far." She glanced to the side shyly.

Jack smiled more and stepped toward her, angling his skull to catch her eyes. "So where shall we walk to, Sally?"

She blinked and then smiled up at him. "Oh Jack, you can pick. I don't care as long as I'm with you. Um…I guess it should be somewhere private though…you know, so that no one sees us, so that we can be all alone together." A private, special little smile couldn't help but come to Sally's lips. '_All alone…at night…with Jack…courting_.' And tonight would be their first moment of complete and uninterrupted privacy since their kiss—what romantic things would he do with her? Scoop her up in his arms and carry her down the lane? Put an arm around her waist as they walked side by side? Snuggle his skull against the top of her head and whisper sweet nothings in her ear? Find a lovely spot and kiss her with the unending passion with which she wanted to kiss him again?

"Oh yes, of course, Sally—I think a more secluded walk would be best too."

Sally was snapped out of her musings by this simple response of Jack's…and yet there had been something lacking in his tone while saying it that struck her as curious. Frankly, she had been trying to be a little flirty right now, a little playful, bringing up how 'alone' they would be, but there had been nothing similar in Jack's tone. It was more like he was just agreeing with her that a private walk would be best for not being seen by others, plain and simple.

Sally looked up to see jack smiling at her in that normal, friendly we he'd always had of doing. He gestured with his arm forward down a path. "How about we go walk through the graveyard and into the valley? It'll be lovely with all the snow and the full moon. Um…and may I hold your hand while we walk?" He asked the last question in a quiet tone, looking down as his smile grew.

Sally forgot all about any strangeness in his previous response and blushed a little now, her breath catching in her throat. "Ooo…um…yes… I mean, yes, Jack, I think a walk through the graveyard and into the valley sounds nice. And of course you can old my hand." She held out her hand, trying not to giggle at how sweet it was that he was being so formal about such a simple gesture.

"Thank you, Sally!" Jack replied, his eye sockets lighting up a little! Then he came alongside her and gently laced his bony fingers with her soft cloth ones, upon which he started them forward down the lane. Jack let out a small sigh of perfect satisfaction with this moment. _'All right then, we're walking, and she's letting me hold her precious hand. It feels even lovelier than I imagined. But my bones are so strange and the fingers are so much longer than her own—I hope she likes the feeling of holding hands with me just as much as I like holding hands with her.'_ He wished he could get a bit closer to her, but… '_No, no…one step at a time_. _We have all night—and we have all eternity if this works out between us._' He cleared his throat and just looked to Sally with a smile as she walked beside him.

Sally almost wobbled a little on her feet between her usual slight lack of balance and her current slight fluster, but then she quickly matched Jack's stride as they went along. She smiled so much—his bony fingers felt even more intricate and strong and cool than she had always imagined. She wondered what it would be like eventually when those hands of his touched more of her than just her own hands. At the idea, though, her leaves fluttered so badly that her face practically felt on fire, and so she put the thought out of her mind for the moment and just savored the here and now.

"You made your dress very pretty, Sally—even prettier than it was before, and I didn't think that was possible. I like it very much." These words said shyly yet sincerely by Jack were followed by a soft kiss to Sally's cheek.

Sally gasped quietly, her eyes going wide and her smile perking up to its fullest height. "Oh, thank you, Jack," she murmured. She sighed softly and leaned a little more up against him, squeezing their hands.

Jack's eye sockets went wide at this response and his skull heated a little. Then he cleared his throat and said the first thing that popped into his mind (besides a bunch of obvious things about how Sally had to be the warmest, softest, most delightfully designed doll in the world with hair like a glorious blanket he wanted to get lost in).

"So, um…n-nice weather we're having, hmm, Sally? I mean, with the snow and everything…it's nice."

Sally remained smiling and snuggling close and content for a moment longer. Then she raised an eyebrow and raised her head to look at Jack. "What?"

Jack nervously cleared his throat and shrugged. "The snow's nice. Don't you agree, Sally_?" 'Oh for Halloween's sake, I have no idea what I'm doing, but I hope I'm at least kind of doing this right. I just…I can't tell her the things I really think about when we're close. She'd never believe my feelings could be so strong so quickly, and it's too soon, and did I really just ask her about the weather? I don't know, I suppose that's all right for now.'_ He wanted to sigh and bring a hand to his temple and shake his skull, but settled on just swallowing and glancing out to the snowy landscape for now.

Sally just blinked a few times, still absorbing his random question. "Um…yes, the snow's lovely, Jack." She raised part of her brow again. Hadn't they just been…but then why now talk about the…? She cleared her throat and decided to try bringing them back to that first comment he had made to her, the nice romantic one about how her dress looked. "Um…you know, you're very handsome tonight, Jack. And you smell nice…" Sally absolutely blushed and looked down, biting her lip. She had never commented on his scent before, and now it had just slipped out of her. She glanced at him hesitantly.

Jack's eye sockets went wide, and his grip in her hand tightened a little. "Oh, well…" He cleared his throat. "Thanks…u-um…I'm glad you like how I look…and smell." He cleared his throat. "Oh, would you look at that, we're coming to the valley already!" Jack pointed out to the landscape up ahead with his free hand. "Look how pretty it is in the moonlight with the snow still on the ground. Why don't we make some snow angels or snowmen, Sally? I promise, it's very fun." He began to pull lead them along a little more briskly though the snow covered path to the valley ahead.

Sally followed along with him, finding it fun that they were on this little adventure but still feeling a little confused by Jack's skittishness. '_But…maybe he really is just still shy. Still though, he's got to relax at least a little bit before the night's out. Hopefully soon. I really would like to have a nice, long, intimate talk with him about how I feel and how he feels and where we might go from here.'_ However, Sally assured herself again that if Jack needed time to ease fully into their new relationship, she was wiling to be patient for at least a little longer.

Meanwhile, as they dashed to the valley, Jack couldn't help but have some thoughts on his mind as well. '_She told me I'm handsome and that she likes how I smell.' _He chuckled very softly to himself. Wow, it felt…it felt WONDERFUL to be told that by a lady whom you cared for greatly! And if his feeling like this meant that Sally felt just as elated whenever her complimented little things about her, he decided he would give her kind words and caring observations as regularly as possible from now on. Oh he felt so happy! It was working! This fragile thing they had was working! _'Splendid!' _Jack exclaimed to himself as they rushed into the valley and he plopped down into the snow and she soon plopped down beside with him with a smile.

Both prepared to make snow angels…

And Jack prepared to continue his painfully slow process of getting closer to Sally while Sally prepared to have a full, deep, intimate discussion…and more…with him the instant the moment felt right.

* * *

"So…your favorite color is midnight blue, your favorite food is pumpkin spice cakes, and your favorite thing to do is sew. That's all very interesting, Sally, thank you for sharing with me," Jack replied to Sally brightly as the couple held hands again and walked back through his gate, heading toward the house. The first part of their date had finished, and now it was time for dinner.

Sally smiled and giggled a little. Yes, she would have much rather been talking about their relationship, but still it was cute that he wanted to know all these little things about her. She swung their hands a little as they approached the steps leading up to Jack's door. "You're welcome Jack…but what's _your_ favorite color and food and thing to do?" she asked curiously.

Jack blinked and then smiled bashfully. "Oh, um…my favorite food is worms wart tea, and my favorite thing to do is sing, and my favorite color is…red." He smiled a little more to himself.

"Red? Not black or orange? Really?" Sally's smile grew. "Oh, is it because red is the color of Santa's suit and so many Christmas decorations?"

Jack gulped and shook his head. "No…it's not really 'Sandy Claws red' that I like. It's… 'Sally red'—the red like your hair." They paused in front of the door and Jack let go of Sally and just clasped his hands in front of himself, looking down about as shyly and sweetly as could be.

Sally, meanwhile, just beamed.

Jack cleared his throat and opened the door, gesturing for her to go inside. "Ladies first, Sall—Oh!"

Sally dove right against him, causing them both to stumble into the house. Her arms wrapped around his body and she snuggled deeply against his ribcage, giggling. "Oh Jack…" She could feel his bony chest underneath his shirt and jacket, and one of her hands came up to rest against where his heart would be if he had one. "That's so sweet of you to say." She looked up at him adoringly. She wanted to see those lips of his pucker…oh but forget it, she was DONE waiting! She draped an arm over his shoulder and kissed…his cheeks, to start. She wanted to know every inch of his skull before she went back to that ridged little mouth. She continued placing beautiful little kiss after beautiful little kiss slowly over the smooth expanse of his head and face.

"Mm…!" Jack stumbled back a little as the door shut behind them, feeling surprised at first…and then just feeling like his legs were going to give out from under him. His ribcage rose and fell against her chest a little, and he just did his best to remain standing. "Sally…" Jack barely managed, his eye sockets blinking and hazing. "I, um…I…" _'I really should stop this, I can't just…we can't just…Still though…_' He felt her lips getting so close to his own again. And he was still so curious inside about whether those lips of hers would feel any differently now that they were darker and bolder. And also maybe he had a tie in his head now about his favorite kind of red, and it was between red like Sally's hair and red like Sally's lips. '_But, no…I want to, but not in the heat of the moment. We've both been through so much lately, and we should take time before we… I… Oh Sally…_'

"I like your skull…Jack. It's so smooth and such a nice shape…" came from Sally in a sweet coo between kisses.

"Sally…" Jack barely managed to get out again, trying as hard as he could to keep his tone and bearing steady.

"Yes…dearest…Jack…?" Sally giggled and cooed in reply between two kisses.

"U-Um…" Jack sighed. He brought his hands to her shoulders. Then he gave her a brief peck on the corner of her mouth. Then Jack pulled back, smiling a touch awkwardly and trying not to blanch too much. "Dinner now, Sally?"

Sally, caught up in a daze, just blinked a few times. "Hmm…?" _'Dinner…what's dinner?'_ She giggled a little to herself.

"Dinner, Sally," Jack repeated again, already seeming calmer and more in control by the second. "I thought I'd prepare dinner for us for this part of our outing. You must be hungry, after all—I'd imagine you haven't had a proper meal since Christmas Eve, at least. I was thinking Wolf's Bane stew, unless you'd prefer something else? Heh…" Jack smiled sheepishly at Sally, straightening his tie and doing his best to basically pretend like they hadn't just been nearly necking in his foyer.

For a moment Sally just…. Was he…had he really just…? She suddenly felt so awkward. It hit her that she had just been throwing herself at him practically and instead of him responding in the same way, he had just given her a quick peck and now wanted to rush them right along to dinner! Sally had been willing to make a lot of excuses for his shy behavior, but this just wasn't fair—in fact it was frustrating, disappointing, embarrassing even. She felt like she was some little girl throwing herself at him, and he was patting her on the head but keeping her at a distance, which was a far cry from how she had felt earlier—like a beautiful woman ready to start a mature relationship with the man of her dreams.

But Jack, just trying to move things along, wasn't really noticing Sally's pouting and frowning right now. Instead, done assuring her about dinner, he took Sally's hand and led her over to a small table that he used for the occasional meal in a room off to the side between the living room and the kitchen. He then laid down a black lace tablecloth, quickly lit two candles, pulled out Sally's chair for her, and then popped into the kitchen.

Sally took a seat and sighed softly, resting her head on her hand as she gazed at the light of the candle and thought to herself a bit.

Meanwhile, Jack could be heard moving some things around in the kitchen. "The ingredients for the stew are pretty basic, and I usually have most of them prepared and set aside—I'll just add them together in the boiling water in my cauldron and we'll eat very soon, Sally." Jack continued with some more minor preparations, then eventually called out to her again. "I'm sure this goes without saying, but whenever you want a snack or a meal, please feel free to use anything you find in the kitchen. I don't eat much myself being a skeleton, but I always try to keep things well stocked in case anybody needs anything—I suppose I'm just always anticipating company even though I never have much of it." Eventually, the sound of the cauldron bubbling could be heard, and Jack opened and closed a drawer. "I know you'll probably have other plans soon regularly—you seemed so excited about finally being on your own earlier, after all. But I must say, I hope, even if we're not having a date, that you'll have dinner with me here whenever you can. I'd enjoy the company, and so would Zero." Jack went back to cooking again.

Even he had to notice now though that Sally was being very quiet.

Indeed, Sally had just been sitting at the table, at first looking frustrated still…but then looking a little bored…and then (as Jack had kept talking) she had looked a little more understanding…and finally at him expressing his hope that they could eat together regularly she was smiling just a little again, unable to help herself. '_He's trying. That's what's most important, I guess._' Sally sighed softly, smiling more. _'And at least we have a lovely meal to look forward to now—that's something.'_

Meanwhile, Jack, growing curious about his lovely companion, finally took his full attention off of the stew for a moment to poke his head out of the kitchen to check on her. "Sally, is everything all right?"

'_Somehow we're just not quite on the same page yet—but I'll get us there. I have a good feeling.'_ Sally nodded to herself and then nodded to Jack, smiling a little more. "I'm all right, Jack. I was just thinking. I'm looking forward to the stew. And I'd really like for us to share meals together even when we're not on a date too. I usually ate alone at the Doctor's, but eating each day with you sounds very nice."

Jack smiled more and nodded to her in return. "Oh, splendid, Sally. Thank you." He was still working on preparing the stew even though he was caught up in gazing at her a little now, but then Jack blinked, realizing he had been shaking a certain spice container of the cauldron for an awfully long time, and turned to face what he had done. Jack's whole self instantly flew fully back into the kitchen, and then Sally heard him sigh very deeply. "Oh dear, I put in too much black spice! It'll be too hot. And whenever I do that, I can never figure out hos to cover it u—"

"Frog's Breath overpowers anything, Jack. Here, let me do it…"

Jack suddenly stopped his lamentations and blinked at the sound of Sally interrupting him with these kind words of assurance. She was now standing beside him in the kitchen and observing the soup. Then he watched as she opened his cabinet and lightly rummaged around until she pulled out a can of frog's breath and also grabbed the canister of wormswart. "Stand back please, Jack, this is going to be very bitter until I add the worms wart."

Jack nodded and took a step back. Sally leaned back a little as well and then put the frog's breath in the stew. Instantly, both of them cringed at the sight of thick curls of stench coming out of the cauldron. Jack continued to watch with interest as Sally then dumped a fair amount of wormswart into the pot. Suddenly, the curls of steam became soft and white. Jack leaned a bit closer to the cauldron and sniffed…and the stew now smelled perfect. Just perfect. Maybe even better than usual. Jack looked to Sally with awe. "Sally…you can cook. I-I mean more than just sandwiches and tea—you really, really know how to cook."

Sally just shrugged modestly, looking to Jack with a little smile, her arms behind her back. "It's just one of the things Doctor Finkelstein used to make me do. I enjoyed it a little bit, but it was just annoying to be 'supposed to' make someone three perfect meals a day, especially someone who was very hard to please. But I don't mind helping you cook, Jack. I care about you, remember?" She leaned over and gave him a soft, simple, lingering kiss on the cheek. Then she pulled back and smiled warmly at him. "Now come on, Jack…I know Christmas and last night and even today have all been a lot for you—why don't we just sit down and have a nice meal and relax, okay?"

The way she looked at him, so peacefully, so calmly, with such compassion, made Jack feel perfectly hopeful once again that everything would work out all right between them even despite any of his uncertainties. He nodded in gratitude. "All right, Sally—I-I'd like that. Here, um…" He handed her two small bowls with spoons from the cupboard and then put a ladle in the cauldron and lifted it up. "We can eat now. Thank you for waiting. And thank you so much again for helping with the stew. I was nervous about making it just right for you. I just want to be good at caring for you, that's all. It's important to me," he admitted with a little smile as he headed into the dining room and placed the stew on the table while Sally followed after him set out the bowls and spoon for them. Jack pulled out Sally's chair once more before crossing to the other side of the table to take his own seat.

Sally sat down and melted a little inside. She reached across the table, resting her hand atop Jack's. "Oh Jack…you don't ever have to be nervous around me, and you are good at caring for me. You're just, well…splendid at it actually." She giggled. She pulled her hand back and smiled at him with affection.

And Jack smiled back at her so very dreamily. "Thank you, Sally—I'm very, very, very glad to hear that." He looked down in a touch of bashfulness and then proceeded to serve them. "So then you've liked our outing so far, Sally?"

Sally nodded. "Yes, Jack, I have. I like spending time with you, and you've been very nice and…friendly. I'm happy to be here with you." She cleared her throat and then asked with a touch of hesitation, "And, have _you_ enjoyed our outing so far, Jack?"

Jack blinked and nodded to her. "Oh yes, absolutely!" He beamed. "It's been one of the most enjoyable evenings of my entire death."

Sally's smile perked up. But then just a touch of hesitation came back to her features and she added, "And you're sure you're happy with us like this—the two of us together with romantic feelings for each other?"

Jack swallowed but nodded again, his smile still remaining. "Yes, Sally. I'm happy you're safe and with me, and that we're courting. It's…It's a miracle to me, actually. I care for you so much, Sally. After all, we're meant to be, right?"

Sally observed him carefully for a moment longer but then let out a small breath of relief and smiled warmly at him. "Of course, Jack. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound silly or strange. I-It's just that I've liked you for a very long time, and…it's nice to hear again that now you like me too." She looked down demurely, taking a spoonful of her soup.

Jack blinked, but then he had to grin and even chuckle a little. "Oh Sally, I understand. I know just how long you've had these feelings for me. But I promise you, after all of this time, I really do have them in return for you now."

"Oh, yes, well, I—" Sally blinked and then paused in the middle of raising her spoon. Her big eyes went very wide. "You…know how long I've had my feelings for you? You knew about my feelings?" she squeaked out, feeling that warm friction of her fluttering leaves building in her features again.

Jack shrugged, smiling more to himself and as he ate. "Well, not officially, but I did suspect sometimes, yes. You were always so sweet and shy around me and always doing little things for me that it looked like you didn't want me to find out about, that sometimes I wondered if you might be sort of smitten with me, at least a little. I just…didn't know how strongly you felt until Christmas Eve, my dearest Sally, or that I felt the same way for you."

Sally blinked a few more times, then smiled a lot but couldn't help looking completely down into her bowl, playing with her soup a little. "Oh Jack…I…I don't know what to say."

Jack chuckled, gazing over at her. "You don't have to say anything. Just keep smiling and laughing and smiling more. I like those things about you, Sally. You have such a pretty laugh and smile."

Sally smiled and giggled, and she thought her grin would just about burst the seams of her face. "Oh Jack…" _'Well, he's acting a little romantic again. That's nice. At least it's some kind of progress._' She managed to look over at him again, which only made her smile and giggle a little more.

Jack just chuckled in return, resting his skull on his hand. "Are you enjoying the stew, Sally? You made it taste simply divine, you know."

Sally shrugged humbly. "O-Oh, it's delicious Jack, but you're the one who prepared and cooked it the most. If anyone made it taste good, it's you."

"Oh no, I think it was you…" Jack countered playfully, smirking a little.

"Oh no, I'm very sure it was you…" Sally countered playfully right back, winking at him.

The two of them shared a warm little laugh and then went on with their meal. And later, after some tea and a few leftover spider cakes for dessert, Jack would escort Sally back to the tower for their final goodnight.

* * *

**A/N:**

Thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please review if you can : )

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	6. Jack's First Visit

**A/N:**

Hi every one! Thank you so much for your reviews and for your patience with updates. In this chapter, things get a little complicated in a couple of ways and we find out that Valentine Town concoctions mix with Halloween Town emotions in a very unexpected way. I hope you enjoy, and please review more if you can ^_^

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 6:**

**Jack's First Visit**

* * *

"My favorite part of Christmas was…" Jack looked down with a small smile on his face… "Um…it was you."

"Me?"

Jack nodded, glancing to Sally. "Yes. Just…everything with you. Saving you and finding you afterwards and being on the hill with you and how much you helped me. I know Christmas was a mess, but…I'd go through a million aerial bombings just for how it all turned out…with you."

Sally giggled, glancing away from Jack…though she scooched a bit closer to him on the step they were currently sitting upon together—a step near the top of the staircase leading to the open tower trap door, to be precise. The light here was dim and the space a little cramped, but the whole situation was also kind of cozy. Dinner had been lovely, tea afterwards had been lovely too. And now this final time together as their date concluded was lovely too—for the last half hour they had just been sitting here asking one another playful, fun questions…and now Jack had just made Sally blush with his response about his favorite part of their Christmas. And though Sally still didn't know of course why exactly Jack could get so shy with her at times, she was working on just patiently waiting and observing until she could put her finger on it.

Jack noticed Sally's blush a little, though he couldn't tell if it was a trick of the light or not. He wondered if she even really could blush and how that might work. _'Then again, she's the only one of us around here who was actually made, 'brought to life'. She might be able to blush and do many other things I don't know about. I wonder if one day she'll maybe tell me more about her abilities and the body the doctor gave her,_' on cue, Jack felt the marrow in his skull heat up, '_Just, um…for the sake of my scientific curiosity, heh,' _he quickly added to himself. '_Uh…why don't you speak now and maybe move the conversation along, Jack.'_

Meanwhile Sally blushed more beside him in the silence as a certain flustered thought suddenly came to her mind. '_Oh, I hope he doesn't ask me what __my__ favorite thing about Christmas—'_

"Um…so what was _your_ favorite part of our Christmas, Sally?" Jack asked with sweet interest.

Sally swallowed and sighed and played with her hair. "You'll think it's silly, Jack."

Jack blinked but then looked at her with an inviting smile. "Sally…of course I won't think it's silly. You can tell me anything." He scooched just a tiny bit closer to her from his end.

Sally hesitated, glancing at him with a little crooked smile and a touch of uncertainty. But then she just sighed and rolled her eyes, smiling completely. "Do you promise you won't laugh?"

Her asking that cute question almost made Jack want to laugh, but he resisted and held up one of his hands with a nod instead. "You have my promise as the Pumpkin King. I won't laugh, Sally."

Sally smiled a touch more, then swayed a little side to side and finally replied in as composed and casual a voice as she had, "My favorite part was…um…your Sandy Claws suit fitting." She glanced down, taking several strands of her hair in a few fingers and starting a little braid.

Jack blinked, then smiled more and looked at her even more curiously. "My fitting. But why?"

Sally swallowed and pulled her legs closer to herself. "W-Well, um…you know, I-I got to be alone with you and to talk with you…and look at you…and touch you." A little sigh of anticipation left her as her eyes drifted over to him again, sitting there with his long limbs pulled in close and adorned with the perfect classiness of his pinstriped suit. Oh, she wanted to touch him again—and not just here and there while she took some measurements. Her mind wandered to those ribs that made up his chest she could feel through his shirt when she hugged him, and the sensation of his ribcage rising and falling against her as they had kissed last night… And she wanted to touch his smooth skull too…and those elegantly long femurs. Had Sally mentioned she really liked femurs? Next to rib bones and maybe Jack's skull (for the obvious reason that it held his lips), femurs were her favorite for their size and perfection and grace. She wanted to touch every precious part of dearest Jack. She wanted to kiss his bones…

"O-Oh. I understand…heh…"

Sally blinked, coming out of her near fantasies, and made eye contact with Jack again.

He had his long legs pulled up even closer into his chest, his eye sockets were wide as could be, and he looked shy and unsure and almost childlike really.

The effect was absolutely adorable and made Sally have to resist the sudden urge to just dote upon him with hugs and kisses and giggles. She wanted to hold him and cuddle him and take his skull in her hands and ask her darling why he was so shy and nervous with her, and what she could do to make all of the nervousness go far far away…especially as long as they were still on a date together.

But she stopped herself. It was hard…but she stopped herself. He had preferences, and she wanted to respect them. And she was starting to think that maybe she was getting a bit tired, which was why she might be having these sudden compulsions to get lost in fantasy with Jack instead of savoring reality.

Sally settled on sighing and smiling in a caring, friendly way to her flustered dearest friend. "Jack…are you all right?" she asked softly.

Jack swallowed and nodded his skull. "Oh, uh…yes. I just didn't know that you…um…had such a good time during that time." It was flashing through Jack's mind over and over now, that fitting… Back then it had seemed so innocent, so simple…but now it seemed like so much more. The memory of her soft fingers having touched here and there upon him as she measured, moving around him at so many angles, himself on display for her and she…overwhelmed by affection…fearfully yet curiously examining all of him. "Y-Yes, well, um…" Jack cleared his throat, "I-It's getting rather late, isn't i—Ow!" In his nervousness Jack had tried to stand up but had bumped his head upon part of the tower floor currently above them.

"Are you okay, Jack?" Sally instantly asked in concern, standing up as well (and making very sure to avoid bumping her head by letting it rise into the opening of the trap door).

Jack finished rubbing his skull and then nodded sheepishly, likewise moving to allow his head to pop through the opening in the floor. "Oh, uh, yes, heh. Clumsy me…" Jack shrugged and cringed a little inside. He hated to seem so silly in front of her—and he was sure the head bump thing combined with his clearly overwhelmed reaction to her fitting response wasn't exactly helping maintain that suave image he was going for. "Anyway," Jack went on, smiling normally and clearing his throat, "I was just saying that it must be so late, and you must be exhausted. I should wish you goodnight now." He finally managed eye contact again, but then blinked as a new thought occurred to him. "Oh but do you need anything first? Extra blankets, extra pillows, a drink of water?" He looked as though suddenly all of his thoughts were focused upon her well being for the evening.

Sally blinked several times. A touch of disappointment went through her—she had really been hoping for a more thorough explanation of Jack's nervous response to her confession about the fitting, which probably would have given her a clue to what was going on with him about her in general. Yet, at the same time, his concern for her was so sweet that she couldn't help but focus on that instead. "Oh, no, I don't need anything right now, Jack…I promise," Sally assured with a smile. She shrugged, playing with her hands. "But, um…could I trouble you for some cloth in a few days? It doesn't have to be new, of course—if you have any old drapes or sheets you don't want that would work perfectly. Anything you can spare."

Jack raised an eyebrow at this request but nodded without hesitation. "Of course, Sally. But…what do you need the cloth for, if I might ask? I just want to make sure to get you the best kind."

Sally shrugged, brushing some hair around her ear. "Oh, I…well, I'll be fine with just this dress for now, but I thought I might make myself sort of a…nightgown, I guess, if I'm going to be sleeping here each night." She smiled at him.

Jack blinked. "Oh! Oh yes, of course, how silly of me not to realize—you need something to sleep in…" And then suddenly a serious look came to his features, and he brought an arm behind his back and took Sally's hand with his free hand, bowing low as he gazed up to her. "I will find the finest piece of cloth I can for you, Sally. I promise."

Sally blinked and brought her other hand to her mouth, covering up a giggle. "Oh Jack…that's sweet, but really I don't want you to inconvenience yourself—any old thing will be fine."

However Jack just shook his head, straightening up and looking into her eyes. His voice bespoke so much caring, and he still held her hand so tenderly. "Sally, you are the best person I know. And you deserve the best. So I'll do my best for you, and get you the best I can manage. Okay?" He smiled at her in that happy way he'd always had of doing for as long as they had been friends.

Sally paused for a moment, her eyes wide and her mouth set in a small 'o'. "I…Jack…thank you." She barely knew what to say. No one had ever treated her so…well before. It was overwhelming. She felt… She could have just… "Thank you, Jack!" suddenly burst out of her, and then Sally wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close, her eyes tightly shut, little tears almost forming at the edges. She had a moment of just utter, overwhelming gratefulness for being here with him and for having so much in her life now—a dear friend who cared about her and listened to her instead of a stubborn creator who gave her rags and never asked or cared about her opinion at all.

Jack gasped, of course, at the sudden contact and even trembled a little. But then he smiled and sighed and put his arms around her as well. He held her close as she held him. Hugs were nice... He couldn't deny that hugs were just splendid actually. "You're welcome, Sally," Jack whispered softly in return. He pulled his skull back a little to gaze down at her and smile in wonder—so grateful all for the sake of some cloth? Jack smiled more and then couldn't help himself and didn't want to: he leaned down and placed a little kiss atop her beautiful forehead. Then Jack pulled back, and his skull almost rested against the crown of her head, they were so close.

For a moment Jack and Sally just stood there—no distractions, no holidays, no expectations…just holding each other in a special privacy they could only find together.

Jack let out a deep breath. '_Let her go to bed. It's only the first date. And you should go to bed too.'_ "Goodnight, Sally." Jack smiled down at her, and then with a swallow he took a step back, releasing both of them from each other's holds. "I'll have cloth for you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Jack…" Sally smiled, trying to compose herself (and feeling so warm from their brief embrace). For a moment she waited, possibly expecting some form of goodnight kiss…or rather of more intense goodnight kiss than one on the forehead…but it didn't come. So she took a small initiative herself. Sally popped forward and placed a brief kiss on the corner of Jack's mouth. She pulled back smiling and blushing, wringing her hands together lightly. "I loved our first 'outing', Jack. It was a wonderful start to our courtship. I'll never forget tonight ever."

Jack just beamed a little, unable to help reaching up and touching that corner of his mouth. Then a low chuckle left him. "I'll never forget tonight either, Sally—ever. Sleep well, Sally. And, um…" he swallowed, bringing his hand to rub the back of his neck, "perhaps, if you're not busy…we could try another little courting adventure tomorrow? Maybe we'll start with some breakfast together first and then we'll see where the day takes us?" He shrugged, smiling a little sheepishly.

Sally beamed. He wanted another date tomorrow—more dating was such a good sign. "Oh, Jack, of course, I'd love another date!" She clasped her hands together over her heart and nodded eagerly.

Jack chuckled at her cute enthusiasm. "Splendid…" he replied with a happy sigh. "In that case, I'll have something all prepared for us to eat when you wake up in the morning, and we can discuss our plans over breakfast. You just sleep in as long as you want to. You've had such a trying holiday, Sally, and so much has changed. I want you to take all the time you need to absorb everything new in our lives."

Sally smiled at him appreciatively but lowered her hands and shook her head. "Oh Jack, that's very sweet of you. But I told you already, I don't want to be waited on or anything around here. And I'm really already comfortable with how things are between us now. But if you do want to make breakfast for me, at least promise me I can cook dinner for you later? Or at least that I can do the dishes after you make breakfast?"

Jack blinked, almost protested, but then had to smile a little again. If such reciprocation on her part would make her happy, why fight it? He nodded. "All right, Sally. Breakfast from me, dinner or clean dishes from you. Until then, my dearest friend…" And then with a charming smile he took and raised up her hand and placed a soft, lingering kiss upon it.

Sally took in a deep breath and just melted into happiness of course. "Oh Jack…" She giggled.

Her cute little laugh made Jack chuckle bashfully as he pulled back and released her hand. "Bye, Sally." He gave her a sweet little wave and then descended the stairs, looking to her all the while until he was out of sight.

"Bye, Jack." Sally waved the hand he had just kissed at him until he was out of sight…and then she took in a deep breath, dashed up into her tower, closed the trap door behind her, and wobbled over to her sofa upon which she instantly collapsed onto her back with a joyful squeal! "I just went on a date with JACK SKELLINGTON!"

Sally hugged one of her pillows and kicked her blankets in joy and just beamed and beamed and beamed! "Okay, yes, parts of it were shaky, but I WENT ON A DATE WITH HIM! And he likes me and talks to me and lets me live with him and wants to court me and…oh he's so dreamy!" She started to let herself indulge a little bit in the side of her that just plain adored Jack. She had gotten to touch him and walk with him and dine with him. She had even gotten to give him little kisses. And though she did regret missing out on another warm and lengthy embrace with those bony lips of his, everything else made up for it! Jack did indeed like her romantically, it was certain…so even if some of the details were a little confusing, that was the most important part, right? Her dream coming true after so many years pining for him from afar…. It was all perfect! Her perfect life with Jack…

Sally let out a final deep sigh, getting herself a bit more under control. "Okay, calm down now, Sally. It was just a date with a man…even if that man is the man of your dreams. But really take a deep breath, otherwise you'll never get to sleep tonight." Sally nodded to herself, took a deep breath, and then finally sat up. She grabbed an extra sheet from the end of her bed and stood, walking over to the little changing area she had made for herself earlier in one of the corners of the room. Sally slipped behind it, and soon her dress was tossed over the top. After a few moments she came out with the cozy sheet wrapped around her a few body times and pinned underneath one of her shoulders so has to work as a makeshift nightgown. She glanced down at herself. "Well, my arms are a little cold since I couldn't cover them, and my neck is too, but I have plenty of blankets on my bed—I'll be warm for the night." Smiling to herself, Sally went over to the fire and sifted some logs to lower the flame for the evening, and then she went back over to the sofa then slipped into the blankets of her cozy bed there.

Sally snuggled in for the night, eyes shut tight and a big smile on her crooked mouth, fully prepared to dream happy dreams about Jack. '_Oh Jack…I know you're nervous, but it'll be all right. I'll figure out what's bothering you…and we can make it better together…and maybe with kisses.'_ Sally giggled to herself as she began to drift off, her heart so grateful and happy.

* * *

Jack, now in his room and dressed in his full-length nightclothes (complete with his adorable little nightcap), had just finished gargling with some bat wash and buttoning the last button on his nightshirt. And as he stood before his dresser mirror, all ready for bed, he found himself feeling caught between an awkward pout and a proud little half smile about the end of his date with Sally, and specifically about the surprising view Sally had expressed regarding his Christmastime fitting. On the one hand, Jack of course still felt a little funny that an event with that much potential intimacy had directly come up between them even before any mutual romantic feelings had been expressed in their friendship. But on the other hand…

Jack sighed. Though he would never admit this to anyone ever…no matter how much he tried to be modest and to discourage the townspeople from pouncing upon him with adoration, there was a part of him that sort of liked it all. He liked being the scariest, being the leader, being admired, being feared (in the good way, of course)…and he even maybe liked—just a tiny bit—the fact that he had never exactly been lacking in female attention. He didn't enjoy that the women seemed literally ready to crawl all over him at any moment, of course, but he didn't exactly mind the fact that even after all of these centuries he could still garner their undying devotion. And now to know, barely a couple of weeks ago, that while he had been so distracted with how his red Sandy Claws suit had looked on him in a full length mirror, Sally had been kneeling on the floor beside him trying her best to be demure and professional…but secretly trembling at every little touch she could give him, at every new view she got of his form, at every moment of closeness… Jack shuddered and his half smile turned into a small grin. He liked that she liked him like that. He liked being attractive to her. It perked up his little yet undeniable ego, and not to mention…

"It helps make us even for the fact that she's the most beautiful woman I've ever come upon." Jack sighed to himself with a full-blown dreamy grin, just gazing into at his mirror at this point, daydreaming and remembering. When he had first met Sally, he hadn't quite been able to wrap his mind around the idea of her as a woman so much as just another lady in town. He hadn't known why, he had just…She was Sally…a girl…young, nice, pretty. But then seeing her at Christmas braving Oogie Boogie, taking matters into her own hands, buying enough time by risking her life to let him come and help save the day… If there was one thing that could change a lady friend to a woman in a guy's eyes, and especially in the eyes of a guy like the pumpkin king, it was that much fearlessness. Not to mention, there was also the severe burning flame of 'could only be woman-centered' jealousy that had shot through Jack when he had looked down into Oogie's lair and seen his lovely Sally tied to a slab with Oogie calling her 'rag doll' and looking at her like…like all he saw Sandy Claws as was a plump cut of meat for his stew, and he saw Sally as an ingredient too…but also as the only functioning, breathing woman he had been near in a very long time—her passionate resistance annoying and yet a nice show for him and maybe a nice little reason to keep teasing her and letting her linger more and more before dinner all for his viewing pleasure…

_CRACK!_

"Arf?"

"Huh?" Jack blinked a few times, coming out of his thoughts. He looked to Zero (who was floating nearby and looking back at him with a strange and somewhat concerned expression) and then to his reflection in the mirror and then down to the top of his dresser. Jack blinked again in surprise. He couldn't remember grabbing it, but somehow he had taken a large candy cane in his hand (he recalled now: he had kept the treat here on his dresser for a little midnight snack to soothe his nerves—and a candy cane always hit the spot, after all). And now, during his thoughts, he had suddenly squeezed the poor thing so hard that the candy cane had not only snapped but its entire center had been crushed into pinkish, sticky dust. The top and bottom of the candy cane lay upon his dresser and the dust lay in a pile in the center of his palm.

Jack gulped, his eyes going wide, and then he cleared his throat and brushed away the dust into the waste basket and put the rest of the candy cane in there as well. He let out a very deep sigh, putting a hand to his forehead and closing his eye sockets. He spoke quietly to himself. "Calm down. I know you have issues about the 'Oogie' incident, but it's all over now…and you need to calm down and to stop thinking so passionately about her. There's no need to get yourself all worked up. Everything's fine." Jack took in a breath, let it out slowly, and then swallowed and finally opened his eye sockets again. He looked to Zero. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Zero. I was just thinking about something with Sally and Oogie Boogie. But, um…I'm better now." He smiled and reached out to pet Zero on the head. "And Zero, speaking of Sally, if you're up before I am and you hear her wake up, please come get me. I know if I sleep in, she'll cook breakfast for both of us, and I really want to treat her."

Zero smiled and barked happily, giving his master a wink.

Jack smiled more and even chuckled a little. "That's a good boy. Thank you, Zero. " He scratched the little dog behind the ears a bit, and then removed his hand…only to suddenly found himself unable to fight back a yawn. Then again, it had been a very full few days…weeks...month or so…and last night he had spent the better part of his time walking out to the holiday forest and roaming around Valentine Town. No wonder he was exhausted.

'Valentine Town…'

Jack blinked, remembering something. And his candy cane _was_ broken, so…

With a smile, Jack walked over to his nightstand, opened its little drawer and pulled out a familiar pink satchel. He opened it up, revealing the little colorful heart candies that had been given to him by that nice Flora lady back in the Valentine's Day world. He shrugged. "Well, as long as it's something sweet. And she did say they would give me dreams about the one I care for and let me tap in to all of my feelings about her." A little bit of Jack's dreamy smile returned. Dreams about Sally—he liked that idea. And he really liked his feelings about her. And if anything could give him a good, restful night's sleep (unlike his somewhat restless nap earlier), it was those two things combined. The whole notion seemed like a win-win situation.

Jack took out a handful of the small heart candies and put them in his mouth. "Mmm…" They were sweet like sugar yet something a touch floral seemed to flood his skull and senses as he chewed them…and there was almost a hint of almond…a light tang of something like sweet cream…maybe the tiniest echo of chocolate…and then the candies finished on a note of the strangest fruits. The whole flavor experience was so blissful that Jack plopped the bag of candies back into the drawer and plopped himself right into his bed and snuggled into his pillow, his eye sockets closing serenely. "Wow…I like…these…" his voice even sounded sleepy and peaceful as he spoke amid a yawn and then yawned again. "Goodnight…Zero…" He smiled a little more.

Zero, seeing his master already about to fall into slumber, gave him a small bark 'goodnight' in return and then flew over and picked up the corner of his blanket, pulling it over Jack's shoulder. Then Zero gave a little yawn of his own and flew in a circle before laying himself upon the end of Jack's bed to settle in for a good night's rest.

Meanwhile, the fire already dimming into embers and sleep indeed creeping over him now, Jack sighed to himself and snuggled more into his bed and blankets. '_Sally…dream of Sally…dream of her sweet smile…holding hands…how she giggles…cute stitches…patches…dress…hair…legs…hips…lips…against mine…kiss me, Sally…never stop…!_'

"Oh!" Jack blinked, his eye sockets going very wide in the semi-darkness of the room! For a moment he just lie there, clinging to his pillow, breathing heavily, and feeling very surprised and confused to say the least. Finally, he blinked a few times and managed to talk himself down. "Heh, silly Jack…E-Enough of that, now. Slow…sweet…steady…nothing more for the moment regarding Sally. I-It's important for her…important for you. You don't want to get carried away and mess this up. And you don't want to rush into anything not knowing exactly what you're doing." He nodded to himself and then managed to relax again, his breathing slowing once more. He closed his eyes and his peaceful smile began to return. '_Yes…just sweet…sweet…Sally_…' A soft sigh escaped Jack as he drifted off further into deep sleep for the night…

…Though not quite before Jack, not conscious enough to realize or care, muttered to himself… "Very…_very_ sweet…Sally…" The ends of his skeletal grin curled upward…and something in his voice wasn't so very innocently 'sweet.'

* * *

Sally may have been a creative and almost whimsical young woman, but she knew very well from the difficult life she had led and from her own natural cleverness that there were important differences between dreams and fantasies.

Dreams were either waking hopes you had for a better life or nightly amusing thoughts that came to you regarding those dreams of the day. Dreams were good things, worth aspiring to and sharing and making real. Sally had many dreams, both of the night and the day, some about herself, some about Jack and herself, all with the hope of a better life and one that he was a big part of.

Fantasies, however, were clearly another story. Fantasies came from secret, almost selfish, whims of improbability. They were conjured up in the deepest recesses of a waking person's mind and had outcomes so unlikely, so unbelievable (if so desirable) that while the idea of them coming true was lovely, any reality in which they came true would certainly be overwhelming, to say the least. Sure, fantasies could work their way into dreams of the night, but that was rare and also those dreams tended to remain private. Still, though, there was something healthy about fantasy in moderation…and once or twice in a lifetime perhaps there could be something good about fantasy coming true in full-blown reality.

After all, Sally had had one fantasy come true barely more than a day ago on Christmas Eve night, and it had proven the happiest moment of her existence. She had fantasized forever about a beautiful moonlit moment of Jack coming to her with romantic feelings and embracing her with true love's kiss, and suddenly she had gotten that fantasy for real. Jack really did want to be with her, even though for all of these years he had never looked at her with affection beyond friendship—indeed, he had never seemed to even like the idea of romance with anyone at all! Not to mention he was the Pumpkin King and she was a servant…and not to mention he was simply the sweetest, kindest, dreamiest man alive, and she was just shy, simple Sally… But now she was just shy simple Sally living in sweet, kind, dreamy Jack's house, the two of them 'meant to be'. Part of her almost had to wonder what fantasy in her life might come true next after all of this good fortune.

Though of course, right now, Sally was tucked away in her dim room fast asleep, and so all of these new and exciting thoughts were tucked away as well in the back of her mind for the rest of the night.

Or for the moment, at least.

Right now, as the fading fire cast eerie orange shadows upon the walls, Sally was dreaming of Jack feeding her chocolate covered poisonberries while she reclined in his lap, and Jack called her 'Sally Doll' and she called him 'Bone Daddy'. Sally giggled in her sleep at the silly dream.

_CREAK!_

Sally shifted a tiny bit but still remained asleep.

_CREAK…_

She shifted a little more, her brow furrowing in a touch of unconscious discomfort.

"_Sally_…"

Her name whispered softly yet passionately right near her ear, though—yeah, that sound made Sally start in her sleep and her eyes pop open wide. She had to take a moment to recall her location—sofa…tower…Jack's house…courting…. But then she remembered, and—

Two taps came to one of her bare shoulders.

Fear coursing through her, Sally's eyes turned to look up at whatever had come for her in the night…!

…Only to see a smiling skeletal grin beaming down at her from a very familiar skeletal figure currently hovering over her bed.

There was dead silence for a moment.

Then…

"Boo, my dearest…_dearest_…friend…" left the pumpkin king in a low voice with a little chuckle.

"Ah!" Sally gasped and sat up straight, breathing heavily, the blankets falling away from her. She recalled then that she didn't have any nightgown on but only a pinned up sheet around her body, which in her sleep had started to slip off a little. She quickly gathered the sheet around her, repining it with fumbling fingers as she stuttered in surprise and fright, trying to respond to her dearest friend's sudden visit. "J-Jack! Wh…how…what are you doing here?" Not that she minded of course, and it was technically his house after all, but still…it was the middle of the night! And this felt too real to be a dream! So WHAT WAS HE DOING HERE!? Sally felt so underprepared for him! Now that her 'nightgown' was fixed, she pulled a hand through her hair a few times and tried to straighten the seams of her face, but she still felt awkward and only hoped the dim firelight would soften how unkempt she must look.

If only Sally could know, though, how appealing she was to Jack like this—glowing in the firelight, sheet wrapped hastily around her body, hair part curled, part mussed, part straightened, her eyes wide with surprise, and her lips and face all flushed and aglow…

A little curl came to the ends of Jack's skeletal grin. He sat down upon the edge of her bed and leaned close to her, not wasting any time. "Sally…dearest Sally…"There was something daring in the gaze of his eye sockets and something heart-pounding in the tone of his voice that Sally had never encountered before. She listened with rapt attention as he continued to address her. "My most humble apologies. I didn't mean to startle you, Sally. But can't a man check on the sleeping conditions of his…dearest female friend?" He moved even closer to her, his eye sockets taking in the sight of her with pleasant eagerness. And he almost smirked. "I almost don't want to get you that cloth you asked for earlier, you know—the cloth for your nightgown? This look on you is by far the nicest…" His gaze fell to the soft, bare blue cloth of her shoulders and collar…followed by the thin sheet wrapped snugly around her frame.

Sally…

Her breathing started to pick up, though the breaths were shallow. '_Th-This is a dream…This is one of those dreams you have about him, one of the really intense ones. But it's starting to make you feel a little strange, so maybe you should—'_ "Ow!" Sally had just pinched a seam on her arm to wake herself up because, quite frankly, something about this dream was starting to feel real to the point of making her very dizzy. However, after her pinch, Sally blinked and looked around and found herself still sitting up in bed wearing her sheet nightgown…and with jack in his pajamas still sitting close to her and still with that strange grin on his face and something in his eye sockets that she had only ever imagined seeing there.

Sally blinked a few times. "J-Jack? I…um…" She reached out, wanting to touch his skull just to make sure it felt real.

Jack reached up and stopped her before she could though, gently taking her full arm in his hands. "Oh Sally…" His whole manner dripped with that natural charm he always seemed to exude in little moments (and that Sally and all the other women in town had always suspected was just bubbling underneath the surface of his mild demeanor and waiting to come out). "You said 'ow'," Jack went on dotingly. "Did you hurt yourself? Here…I'll make it better…" He stretched out her arm, and then Jack's lips came to the seams on the inside of her wrist upon which he tenderly proceeded to work his way up the length of the limb with soft kisses.

"O-Oh…" Sally half moaned, half sighed out. Her arm went completely stiff and then utterly limp in his grasp, and the hand of her other arm clung at the top of her sheet nightgown near where her heart would have been, had she had one. "J-Jack, you don't have...have to…" It was so much, and she was reverting to her shyness—words could barely escape her as she trembled and struggled to catch her breath. Oh this was real…it HAD to be real! Nothing in a dream could ever feel so wonderful, so intense…so…good.

"Oh, but I must…" Jack cooed to her in that deep tone of his between his continuing slow kisses. "After all…we can no longer fight our passions…we've agreed to court…and what kind of man would I be not to tenderly care for the ravishing woman in my life, hmm?" Jack finished with a lingering kiss to her shoulder, and now looked up into her eyes with an inviting smile.

Sally just looked back at him, her own eyes half lidded and dazed. "I'm a ravishing woman to you…r-really?" What a nice thing to hear—it made Sally grin dreamily. She had felt so stifled earlier when he had kept his distance from her during parts of their date—so much like a young girl with a crush being handled delicately by the object of her affections. But the way Jack was speaking to her and looking at her here and now made up for everything, made her feel desirable and mature and special. Sally sat up a little bit more, slightly tilting her head to the side and down with a coy smile, hair softly framing her face. "Jack, do you really feel that way about me?"

"Mmm hmm…" Jack nodded, reaching up to put a hand into her hair and then gently pulling his fingers through the strands. "You're every inch a woman—the perfect woman. You must know, when we first met, perhaps I was foolish and only took the time to see you as a girl, but…after seeing all of your fearlessness with saving Christmas, I'm finally noticing what a woman you really are. When you kissed me upon that hill, it took all I had not to collapse in the snow with you and not stop…_not stop forever_…" He moved close to whisper the last words right into her ear and then pulled back with a charming little smirk.

Meanwhile, Sally was just melting! She couldn't breathe! "J-Jack…" she didn't know what else to say, so bits of dreams and fantasies and the truth just started tumbling out of her, "I…I've always seen you as a man and…I've always wanted to collapse too…with you. I've wanted…oh Jack, I can't even tell you some of the things I've wanted." Sally took some strands of hair in her fingers and nervously played with them, looking down. "J-Jack…I don't understand—why…why now? Why did you act so distant earlier, and now you—"

"Shh…" Jack suddenly laid a single bony fingertip over her lips. He shifted closer, his gaze just catching hers. "The night brings something out in me, let's say. And as for your wants, Sally…please share all of them with me. Whenever you're ready, you can tell me anything. After all, how can your King serve you properly when he doesn't know your deepest desires?" Jack suddenly took her other arm in his grasp and was kissing up the length of that limb too now, this time with a bit more fire in the gesture though. "I want to know…Sally…Share with me…"

"I…just this is more than enough…" Sally managed in a shuddery breath, this arm now going limp as the other one had done. "Oh Jack…I've always dreamed of you kissing me like this…" she let him know, unable to help herself.

"I'll make every dream you have come true. Oh Sally…" Jack kissed more of her lovely arm, heading closer to her shoulder. "How could I have taken so long to see…and how could I ever resist you? Beautiful, beautiful creature—my vision of frightful femininity." His left arm started to come around her waist while his right arm continued to hold her limb like a precious treasure he was still coating in kisses.

Trembles of anticipation coursed through Sally as she managed to look to him, blushing slightly. "O-Oh…no, I'm not beautiful right now. I must look so unkempt, Jack…" followed by a giggle was all she could manage in her modesty, smiling more and more.

Jack just gave a low chuckle and shook his head, ending his kisses at her shoulder and pulling her in close. "You look haunting. Your hair, your seams…I've never seen you look so natural, so free. I've never seen all of your arms, your shoulders, your neck. You look so comfortable, Sally, so touchable…" Somehow his other arm had slipped around her waist now. His forehead was laid against hers, and their torsos were flush against each other. "_Are_ you comfortable, Sally?" Jack asked, grinning down at her all the more.

Sally was shaking in his arms—shaking and shaking…though she did manage a nod and to reply in a whisper, "Y-Yes, Jack, yes…I'm comfortable." Suddenly she gripped against his shoulders and looked up into his eye sockets with longing. "Are you comfortable too?" Her hands came down to press against the shirt covering his collar and the tops of his ribs.

Jack's skeletal grin grew. "Why don't you tell me?" And then released his hold on her for a moment to place his hands upon hers over his chest. He lifted her hands up, moved them to the few buttons leading down from the top of his nightshirt…and then started to unbutton them with her, slowly, deliberately, one at a time… "Have you ever seen a skeleton before, Sally?"

Sally was spiraling out of control and into disbelief. She let him guide her hands and murmured some sort of reply. "I…Y-Yes…s-sometime…I can't remember. Oh, the lab…the doctor's books…I used to sneak them away and look at pictures…and w-wonder if you looked the same or different in any way. I knew you must be different from the hanging tree's hanging men, at least—much bigger, I…" Half of his buttons were undone and they were working on the other half but she was already losing it. She could feel her nightgown sheet loosening a little from her deep breaths, but she was too overwhelmed by Jack to care. Could this moment really be as real as it felt? She hoped so in her perfect fluster.

Jack just chuckled at her little admission, seeming as confident and suave as ever. "Getting a preview, huh? Oh, and yes…I do look very different from the hanging men…a little different, at least. You'll see, don't worry." He winked. "We'll go slowly, just like we're doing with the buttons."

Sally could barely breathe. "J-Jack, I…but, why? I…"

Jack grinned charmingly. "I've felt how you press against my chest whenever we're close. I thought maybe you were trying to tell me something…at least, at the back of my mind. "

They were almost to the last button, and Sally's eyes were wide with eagerness. She would get to see his bare chest…touch it…run her hands over it in the firelight and moonlight and darkness just like she had always secretly imagined.

"And perhaps once we're done with me, I might see some more of _you_ as well?" Jack took his hands away from hers all of a sudden and brought his palms to rest upon her bare shoulders!

But sadly this gesture and his suggestion were too much for Sally. It had been mind-blowing enough to think about Jack being exposed to her any further, but the idea of herself being in any way further exposed to Jack…. A little squeak escaped Sally, upon which she utterly passed out and right into Jack's waiting arms.

Jack blinked, a touch of a frown coming to his features for a moment. But then of course a kind and understanding and affectionate smile came to his skull as he held Sally's passed out form against him. He sighed softly and shook his head. "Oh dear, dear, dear…now this will never do. If you can't give me permission, Sally, and let me know exactly what you desire and what will make you happy, how can I explore our passion with you?" He gave the top of her head a little nuzzle with his skull and gently patted her back. "I'll let you sleep for a while, my ghastly lady. Perhaps tomorrow night you'll be better able to handle the undead fires of our destined romance." Jack pulled away slightly, admired her for a moment, and then placed a gentle kiss atop her yarn-covered head before releasing her and laying her down upon her pillows. He tucked her in. "I'm sorry for stealing that small favor, sweet specter of the night, but I simply couldn't leave you without a goodnight kiss. Until then, my love…" Jack leaned right near her ear, and his voice dropped to a tone quiet and private and deep as he finished… "…_my Queen_."

Jack stood up and paused for a moment just to gaze down at Sally. She was lying on her back and he had the blankets all tucked in warmly around her. Her head lay upon the pillow with her hair spread out like a dull, warm fire behind her, and her scarlet lips trembled…yet smiled.

Jack's chest swelling with joy, he gave her a graceful bow and then reached into the pocket of his nightshirt and gave lay a small token…a single dried flower…upon her chest in an almost funeral like fashion before slipping away from her for the rest of the dark night.

The next morning would find both Jack and Sally in very interesting states.

* * *

Meanwhile, just past the outskirts of town in a familiar frightening tree house on this dark and cold night, three familiar trick-or-treaters were huddled around a fire, trying to sleep and trying to keep warm and also trying to keep look-out, though as usual the three friends were a little too dysfunctional to succeed in their goals, to say the least.

"Shock, quit snoring and get up! It's your turn to look out for Jack!" Lock pocked a sleeping Shock with his pitchfork.

"Grr…" Shock sighed in disgust and rolled her eyes, sitting up in her sleeping bag to glare at Lock. "No, I'm tired, and this is getting stupid!"

"It won't be stupid when Jack comes by in the dead of night to finally punish us for working with Oogie to nearly kill Santa Claus!" Lock shot back with a scowl. "Now, I've been up since midnight, and it's your turn, so move it!"

"Get Barrel to do it!" Shock whined, collapsing back to the floor and putting her pillow over her head.

"Hey, if you can wake him up without having to completely maim him, be my guest." Lock gestured to Barrel with a dry look, who was currently lying flat on his back and snoring away.

"Ugh…" Shock sighed again, turning in her sleeping bag, "I'm getting sick of hiding out in here and sleeping in shifts and jumping every time a floorboard creaks—if Jack hasn't come to reign down the mighty terror of the pumpkin king on us yet, chances are he's not going to. You know how much of a softie he can be, and that big jolly guy ended up okay in the end, and Jack waved us off and said something about forgiving us when the Mayor drove us all back to town. We're overreacting." She yawned. "Now go to sleep, Lock—for once, Barrel's got the right idea, and we should follow along with him." Shock closed her eyes.

Lock still frowned down at her but then he finally sighed and tossed his pitchfork on the ground near his own tattered sleeping bag. "Oh fine, Shock." He yawned. "But if we wake up tomorrow in stocks in the town square with Jack scowling down at us and telling us that we're going to have to spend all of our free time cleaning out the pumpkin patch for the next century or two, I'm blaming you."

"As long as I can sleep, blame whoever you want. Dummy." Shock yawned again, and then let out a deep, sleepy sigh.

Lock rolled his eyes and got into his sleeping bag. "Whatever…" He sighed, putting aside his mask with his pitchfork. Lock turned onto his side, ready to pass out for a good night's sleep…but instead his eyes went wide at the sudden sight of a rather large bug on the floor before him.

The bug looked at him with wide eyes, trembling a little and taking a step back, making a little chirrup sound.

Lock raised an eyebrow. "Huh…what are you doing there?"

Of course, the bug didn't make any reply back.

Lock yawned, pulling up his sleeping back more around his body. "Just be grateful we don't have Oogie Boogie to feed anymore, otherwise you'd already be snapped up in a trap and sent down to him." He grinned, closing his eyes.

But then there was another little chirrup sound…or two or three.

Lock opened his eyes again and blinked. Suddenly there were three bugs on the floor looking at him curiously. He raised an eyebrow and finally sat up.

Then there was another, much louder chirrup sound—one that seemed to be composed of quite a few more bugs than just one or three.

Lock peered into the dark, but, unable to see anything clearly, quickly stuck the end of his pitchfork into the fire and then held it out so that the flame's glow lit up the better part of the room. What he saw made Lock's eyes go very wide. "Uh…Shock? Shock?"

Shock huffed in her sleep.

"Shock?!"

"Grr…" Shock started to sit up. "So help me, Lock, this had better be important or I'm going to…uh oh." Shock had just opened her eyes, and now she was seeing what Lock was seeing too. The little witch trick-or-treater didn't waste any time—she grabbed the lit pitchfork from Lock, and poked the hot end into Barrel hard.

"Ah!" Barrel gasped, flinging himself up. "What happened!?" He blinked a bunch of times, looking around. "I'm up, I'm up, I'm…" Barrel paused and raised an eyebrow, looking to where Lock and Shock were looking now as the fire-lit pitchfork cast its light over the room again. "Uh…okay, what did I miss?"

"We have a problem, you idiot," Shock remarked, her eyes not leaving the 'situation' before her, though a scowl now came to her features. "That's what you missed."

And indeed, ' a problem' was before them—'a problem' was probably an understatement for what was before them actually.

Right now, covering quite a bit of the floor of their tree house, there were many, many, many bugs…all just staring up at them with wide, fearful eyes…and more were coming forth out of the old pipeline the trick-or-treaters had used for sending things down to Oogie's lair.

Shock just sighed deeply, frowning in frustration. "So much for a peaceful night's sleep."

"What should we do?" Lock asked, turning to her. Barrel just looked desperately to Shock too.

"Get the cages." Shock yawned. "Put 'em in, then deal with it in the morning." She glared at her two fellow trick-or-treaters. "But whatever we do, we don't tell anyone what's going on here—agreed?" Then she smirked a little.

Lock and Barrel raised eyebrows at her at first and then looked to each other…but then looked back to her and smirked as well, nodding. "Agreed," they said at the same time.

The children all smiled at each other and then burst into nefarious laughter.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! I hope you liked the chapter : ) I know, I know, I'm sorry for the cliffhanger with Jack and Sally, but I'll try to update again very soon, I promise. There'll be more dates, more complications, and also some DoctorXJewel very soon. Thank you again for reading!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	7. A Splendid Day to be Dead

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! I wanted to try for an update quicker than two weeks since I left you with such a big cliffhanger last time lol. Anyway, thank you all for reading and for your reviews—I'm away for the weekend right now, but I'll be responding to any review for this chapter (and any I haven't responded to yet for the last chapter) Sunday night-ish once I'm back home. Thank you all for your patience and support!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 7:**

**A Splendid Day to be Dead**

* * *

"Ah!"

Sally sat up in her makeshift bed in the morning light with a gasp, breathing heavily, hands clasped to the blankets over her chest!

For a moment she just remained frozen in this position, chest rising and falling against her 'nightgown' sheet, her eyes wide…and her face bearing a purplish flush almost the color of garnet in her cheeks.

She was remembering something—something she must have dreamed last night. Jack…Jack coming to her…touching her…kissing her body…letting her touch him…wanting her and…

A deep, shuddery sigh escaped Sally and she closed her eyes, relaxing a little, though she still held the blankets close. She whispered to herself. "It was a dream. Calm down. You've had dreams about him before, and that was when you barely spoke to him. Of course you're going to have more intense ones now that you're living right near him and being courted by him and going on dates with him."

Sally let out one final sigh, nodded to herself, and then opened her eyes.

But suddenly she was frozen in fluster again.

Her sights had fallen on the single dried flower clutched in her hands over her chest along with the blankets she held there.

Where had that come from? She had not gone to sleep grasping a flower.

So who could have brought it to her?

There was a pause.

Then Sally blushed all over.

* * *

"Ah, yes, I…Oh! Oh don't burn, don't burn! Gotchya! Ha ha!" Jack smiled to himself in triumph as he held a pan high in the air above the oven, having just gotten it off the burner in the nick of time before its contents could start to overcook.

This really was turning out to be a splendid morning—Jack had risen very early after a particularly refreshing night's sleep, the pumpkin-shaped sun was shining outside, the air was crisp with winter, the snow still sparkled in the Halloween Town streets, he had a beautiful dearest friend in his life now, and for the first time in a long time he didn't feel himself drawn to live in the regrets of the past or doomed to dread the predictability of the future—he was living in the delightful present full of excitement and wonder and good memories and hopes, and he was adoring every minute of it!

"Hmm, what a splendid day to be dead." Jack sighed to himself. "I should have taken Sally in my arms and kissed her on Spiral Hill ages ago—everything's just been so splendid ever since I did that, and now especially this morning." Jack chuckled to himself and then brought the pan of food up to nose level and gave it a quick sniff. His smile grew. "Ah, yes, perfect! Oh I hope she likes scrambled vulture eggs, and I hope that the cheese is pungent enough." He lowered the pan and couldn't help but sigh a little and add, "But somehow her own recipe for them would be better, wouldn't it?"

A soft, dreamy smile came to Jack's skeletal grin, and he started to muse. "…Such a splendid cook she is. I never knew she was so talented. She's probably good at so many things I've never even dreamed of. And I'll get to find out about them all now that we're together. Hmm…" He chuckled and began to daydream for a moment. Waking up every morning to a lovely Sally breakfast where he and Sally would share their plans for the day and their dreams from the night before…And then later cooking lunch together while Sally helped him with little tips about spices and seasonings and he shared some of his Halloween ideas with her as they ate…And then him surprising Sally with romantic dinners each night, and maybe the food wouldn't be quite as good as what she might prepare herself but she was so nice that maybe she would like it just the same, and as they ate they could talk about their days together and their feelings… Then dessert would come as the next as part of yet another night together, of course. And for dessert…well, for 'dessert' they could—

_CLINK!_

Jack blinked, snapping out of his (ever-more-romantic-becoming) thoughts and turning around at the sound of something lightly knocking against something else behind him. His gaze fell to the kitchen doorway, though all he managed to see to explain the sound was the very brief appearance of a pair of beautiful eyes on a blue head, which then quickly flew back around the corner of the doorway, causing the some of the head's pretty red yarn hair to fly up at the swift movement before it disappeared too.

Jack just looked toward where (obviously) Sally had been peeking into the kitchen and tilted his skull to the side. He put down the pan on the stovetop again and walked toward the doorway. "Sally? Is that you? It's breakfast time." Jack smiled and chuckled at her shyness. But then he frowned and blinked, a new thought occurring to him. _'What if she smelled what I was making and doesn't like it but is too shy to tell me?' _"U-Unless you'd prefer something different for breakfast!" he quickly called out, pausing just before exiting the kitchen and looking down in a touch of distress. "Oh I'm sorry, I should have waited until you were awake and then asked you what you'd prefer, shouldn't I have? Sally, it's all right, really—if you don't like scrambled vulture eggs I'll make you something else." And now Jack (doing his best to smile encouragingly, though he was rather nervous inside) peered around the doorway and into the main section of the house.

"Ah! N-No, I, um…I like sc-scrambled, um…vulture eggs!"

This sudden response, made in a high-pitched and somewhat nerve-ridden voice, met Jack's ears.

He blinked and paused at the sight of its deliverer.

Sally was standing against the wall in her normal patchwork dress. She was looking down, she was fidgeting a little, she seemed flushed, and she was playing with her hair so forcibly in her fingers that it looked like she might cause the yarn to stretch and break.

And also she had a little flower in one of her hands.

Something about the flower looked familiar to Jack though he couldn't quite place it. Actually though, come to think of it, the flower made him remember the nice feeling he had woken up with this morning. Indeed, come to think of it now, he couldn't recall ever having had a more delightful night's sleep, and then when he had blinked open his eye sockets this morning he had just felt so…refreshed, invigorated, spruce, plucky: he had grinned and sat right up and hopped out of bed, ready to greet the day! There had even been a little extra bounce in his step when walking to the kitchen for breakfast. He had felt…to be honest, he had felt better than he had felt in a few centuries! He felt practically alive!

Jack blinked, coming out of his thoughts, and focused on Sally again—Sally and her little flower and…what in the world did she look so utterly terrified about? He blinked, worry coming over him. "Sally, are you okay? Is there something wrong with your accommodations? Did you sleep poorly? Is anything troubling you, anything at all?" he asked in the most caring tone he had, approaching her with an understanding smile. "Did you have a nightmare perhaps? You know, a bad one….?" He frowned a little again. What if she _had_ had a nightmare about Christmas and Oogie and all of the danger and…the very thought made him gasp and come even closer, the look of worry growing on his features. "How can I make whatever's on your mind better, Sally?" was all he could ask, softly now. "Please let me know."

Sally just watched him…just watched him and felt more and more flustered…but also more and more puzzled as the seconds went by and all he did was look at her in that polite, considerate, sincere way he'd always had of doing ever since she had known him.

He didn't notice her flower, he wasn't embarrassed at all, he wasn't amorous…he wasn't even acting awkwardly! He seemed utterly clueless as a matter of fact! And now he wanted to know about a nightmare or something…?

Sally eyed him cautiously, still not taking a step forward to meet him. "Jack…" she began, starting to feel a little less sure of herself, though how real last night had felt made her at least try and see her investigation through, "About last night…." She raised the flower in her hand slowly, her eyes never leaving his eye sockets as she awaited his response.

Jack just nodded, the sad look his eye sockets becoming so melancholy it seemed like they might never hold happiness again. "Yes…what happened last night, Sally? Did you have a bad dream about…um…Christmas?" He gulped, almost afraid to ask.

Sally paused and then blinked. '_Christmas?_' "Christmas? Er…no, I didn't dream about…um…. Jack, I'm talking about…you know…" She eyed him curiously and then finally took a little step forward with one foot. She held out the flower to him.

Jack just watched Sally blankly. She seemed like she was waiting for something from him, but…what? And why did she have and hold forth that flower? Did she want him to take it? And yet, she didn't seem to be giving it to him with her gesture so much as just showing it to him. "Talking…about….?" Jack prompted kindly, smiling a little.

For a moment both Jack and Sally were just looking at each other in quiet confusion.

"Um…n-nothing!" Sally quickly stammered, instantly retracting the little flower to her chest. "I mean, um…" She let out a breath and smiled normally, putting the flower in her pocket. "Nothing, Jack. I-I'm sorry, I think I'm just a little, um…disoriented. After all, this is only the second night that I've woken up here." She looked down, clasping her hands together in front of herself. "Thank you again for taking me in, Jack. It's been very sweet of you." She felt so embarrassed. _'What if it really was just a dream? Yes, it must have been, and somehow in the night I must have grabbed one of the flowers he gave me yesterday. Oh I can't believe I almost told him what I dreamt! O-Oh_…' Sally almost wobbled on her feet at the thought. What if she had actually shared with him her dream of him crawling into her 'bed' and kissing her arms and telling her he desired her and letting her undo the buttons of his shirt, and… Sally felt herself ready to blush even at the notion. Just because she was ready to be courted by Jack and to kiss Jack and to live with Jack didn't mean she was ready for him suddenly to know every deep, intimate, private fantasy she'd ever had about him. All of that was something she had always imagined sharing maybe a few years into their marriage one night over a pot of tea after their first child was asleep and just for fun. She had always imagined him looking so bashful when she told him about all her secret thoughts from the past, but then a certain glint might come into his eye, and then who knew where the rest of the evening might take them?

"Oh Sally, I understand," Jack replied meanwhile. "Of course, all of these new surroundings are probably going to take a while for you to get used to. Here now, why don't you sit down and I'll get you some hot tea and a blanket and then finish making us breakfast, hmm?"

"Oh! I…" Sally snapped out of her thoughts, her eyes going up to look to Jack again. He was smiling as he spoke so kindly to her, and now he was graciously bowing a little and offering his hand to her.

The sight positively made her leaves flutter. Sally smiled and couldn't help giggling. And she started to feel some relief as she accepted that she had thankfully avoided a truly awkward moment with Jack by not accidentally bringing up what must have been just an intense dream. _'Just focus on now—he's made you breakfast and he cares if you're okay and he wants to help take care of you. That's what matters.'_ "Thank you, Jack," Sally replied with a nod. "That's very sweet of you, Jack…" She demurely reached out and took his hand. "But I don't need any tea. Just breakfast with you will be nice. And maybe that blanket you mentioned too, just for now until you're done cooking—it's gotten so much chillier ever since Santa made the snow fall."

'_Sweet…She thinks I'm sweet_.' Jack smiled brightly to himself and nodded to Sally, lacing his bony fingers with her soft cloth ones and leading her over to the sofa. "Yes, I know what you mean. Don't worry, I'll make sure we have plenty of extra firewood for the tower and down here and for the kitchen as well. And you're very welcome, Sally—I just want your transition into staying here to be as smooth and happy as possible." They were in front of the sofa now, and as Sally sat down Jack picked up a blanket from the back of the sofa and laid it around her shoulders. Jack smiled down at her: she made such a pretty picture, all smiling and bundled up. He frowned just a little though and couldn't help adding with a touch of worry, "And…you're sure you didn't have any bad dreams about Christmas?"

Sally looked up to him sincerely and shook her head. "I didn't, Jack. I promise." A little bluish blush came to her features and she glanced away, hoping he would drop the subject of dreams.

Jack looked at her curiously for a moment but decided from her shyness and her growing smile that she must have something else on her mind besides any sort of nightmare. He looked at her for a moment more and blinked—were her soft cheeks blushing again? They really were, weren't they? It hadn't just been a trick of the light last night sitting atop the tower trapdoor steps—her cheeks now bore a pretty purplish bluish color. Jack's bones warmed a little. _'Beautiful creature…_' He almost had a sudden sense of déjà vu—as though he had been in this position before, Sally sitting before him and blushing and looking away, and he moving toward her…soft blankets falling from her shoulders…

"Jack, I…." Sally paused, her breath catching in her throat. She had just looked up to him again, and the sight of his face utterly caught her off guard. He looked just like in her dream—there was so much desire and passion in his gaze that it made her tremble. "I-I…" she stuttered, feeling overwhelmed again.

Jack blinked, instantly snapping out of his sudden state, and straightened up so quickly that he nearly toppled backward. "Wh-Whoa! I, erm…y-yes, Sally?" He did his best to smile normally though he looked rather sheepish and nervous to say the least. But how else was a gentleman supposed to look when he had just caught himself daydreaming about grasping a beautiful woman in his arms and leaning her back and….Oh he refused to articulate the thought any further. He would never make it through this breakfast if he did.

Sally just looked up at him with wide eyes for a moment, not saying a word. Then she swallowed, her eyes still never leaving his eye sockets, and said simply, "I…A-Are the vulture eggs burning?"

Jack blinked and then practically tripped over his own feet, the scent of the eggs cooking (and quite possibly for a little too long) finally hitting his nose. "Oh! Oh no, oh no, I must have put them back on the burner before I left the kitchen…." He scrambled off toward the kitchen (tripping several times along the way, of course), and Sally just looked after him with an eyebrow raised as he disappeared. A couple of seconds passed, and then suddenly Jack bolted back into the room with the eggs on a platter in his hands…and, while not burned per say, the eggs certainly on the 'very thoroughly cooked side'. "I hope I saved them in time! Oh Sally, I really wanted to make a lovely, perfect breakfast for you for our first official morning together." Jack seemed utterly melancholy, utterly disappointed with himself—truly crestfallen as could be (as per his usual dramatic tendencies). "Your first full day here, and I couldn't even cook you breakfast right."

Sally just watched him and the eggs with wide eyes for a moment longer…and then she just…. She giggled. And then she laughed a little. And then she laughed a little more, warmly and happily. She truly tried to keep the response inside, but she just couldn't help herself.

Jack blinked at the sound, and then, if possible, his face fell even more. He felt so foolish now and actually almost started hiding the platter behind himself a little, looking down. '_Undead King of an entire holiday world—I should be able to give her a buffet of the finest delicacies each morning, but I couldn't even do eggs right.'_ "I'm sorry," he replied humbly. "I-I could try again if you w—"

Jack froze. Sally had just stood up from the couch and blankets to give him the sweetest lingering little kiss on his cheek.

Sally pulled back now with a soft smile. "Oh Jack, don't worry about it, please," she pleaded. She brought a hand up to his cheek and looked into his (rather surprised-appearing) eye sockets. "I'm sorry I laughed, but I…it's just, you're so nice to me, and no one ever made me breakfast before, let alone cared how good it was. It's so kind of you to care so much about the food. It made me happy, and that's why I laughed. But really, Jack, the eggs smell wonderful, and they didn't burn, and I don't mind them well done. So, um…how about you and I sit down together, and we can just eat the lovely breakfast you made us and talk for a little while, okay?" She smiled brightly up at him.

Jack just blinked a few times, and then he gulped, and then he actually felt a little weak in the knees. "I…well…" '_She likes everything I did, and she laughed because she was happy. I make her happy. And she's got the cutest laugh_.' The platter wobbled in his grasp for a moment, but he managed to keep it steady and suddenly beamed at her. "I…yes…Okay, Sally. Thank you." He looked down with a little humble smile and had to add softly though, glancing up to her with wide eye sockets, "And are you really sure you like eggs a little…'overcooked'?"

Sally nodded, smiling more. "I'll love them, Jack…" She tried not to blush again as she then took his free hand and walked them over to the dining room table to eat_. 'I'll love them just as much as I love you, Jack, because you made them for us,'_ she thought to herself, her leaves fluttering inside. "Thank you for cooking for me," she added aloud to Jack, taking her seat as they reached the table.

Jack smiled and nodded to her, setting down the platter at the center of the set table and taking his own seat. "You're welcome, Sally. Though next time if you're up I hope you'll give me a few more cooking pointers like last night. I'm sure you must have the most excellent recipes for eggs and many other things for breakfast."

Sally smiled a little more to herself, pouring herself some pumpkin juice from a pitcher nearby. "I don't know about that. But I did learn lots of little cooking tricks from living with the doctor. Maybe we could cook a meal together sometime soon, and I could teach you some things and you could teach me some things too." She set down the pitcher again

Jack's whole countenance brightened as he took up the pitcher now to pour himself some juice too. "Really? Oh, I think that would be splendid, Sally. We'll have to do that very soon then. Maybe we can even make some pumpkin spice cakes since they're your favorite food, and worms wart tea for me, and then we can share together." And suddenly his near slip-up with the eggs didn't matter to Jack so much anymore as he watched Sally happily serve herself from the platter and he found himself feeling just so wonderful and so content inside in that way only Sally could bring to him.

And Sally was feeling quite wonderful and quite content inside herself as their meal started and their conversation grew and she realized that every morning from now on might be like this between them—so close and so happy and so warm and so good. She even started to forget more and more about the awkwardness of her near slip-up about her dream last night.

Needless to say, both Jack and Sally thoroughly enjoyed their breakfast—it was a truly lovely start to their first full day together.

* * *

"Sally, I think I ought to go into town to, well…" Jack sighed, putting away the last of the breakfast dishes that Sally had just finished (and truly insisted upon solely) cleaning, "Well, to get some things for the house, of course, but also probably to let the townspeople see that I'm really all right before they break into song about my brooding again like with Christmas." He smiled a little sheepishly and turned to her as he shut the cupboard door. "Anyway, since I'm going into town, could I get you anything? Extra thread, some new needles, any books, anything for your hair or cloth or…I-I mean, I tried to provide you with whatever you might need up in the tower but I've never, um…lived with a woman before, so I'm not really sure if here's anything extra I ought to be taking into account." Jack gulped, finishing his little question which had started out quite casually and ended (of course) somewhat awkwardly.

Sally, meanwhile, was just looking at him with a little smile and trying not to giggle at his sweet courtesy and shyness. She put down the dishtowel on the counter and took a little step toward him, her arms behind her back. "Oh Jack, you did just fine. The brush and the needles and thread and the little mirror—that's almost more than I've ever had to myself before." She looked down humbly. "And if I'd like anything else, well, I'll…I'll just make whatever it is myself or sew some things and trade them in town for whatever I can." She shrugged a little and looked up at him again. "I really don't need much, Jack, and you've already given me so much anyway. And I appreciate all of it, really, but I promise you don't have to worry about me—I can take care of myself." She smiled confidently.

Jack just blinked a few times, looking at her in interest. He took a step toward her as well. "Sally…I…" he spoke slowly, barely knowing where to begin and smiling away as the words left him, "I'm so glad that I did well with trying to guess your needs. But, my dearest, darling friend…" His smile grew and his eyes hazed a little. "My darling…" Jack paused in surprise—he wasn't even sure where that little term had come from, yet now that he had said it he couldn't deny that he liked how it sounded very much. Jack went on, taking one of her hands in his and raising it up a little. "My darling, you deserve more than just the basic essentials—you deserve enough to make you as comfortable and happy as can be. And, Sally, I know you're very intent on not being a 'burden' to me but I assure you, you're not." He blinked and for a moment his eye sockets moved away and grew contemplative. "In fact, you're the best thing that's happened to me in a while." He swallowed and blinked few more times, clearing his throat and smiling again. He looked into her eyes and squeezed her hand. "Anyway, I…my point is that if you need something, you don't have to make do or barter for it. I'll get you whatever you need. I've been around for so long, Sally, and I'm the King. I have plenty of means and unlimited credit anywhere for anything, and I've never had a single person to use any of that on in my whole life. I respect that you can take care of yourself, Sally, and that you want to. But if you need it and would be willing to accept it, I wish you'd do me the honor of letting me care for you too when and how I can." And now Jack gently kissed the back of Sally's hand, his eye sockets still not leaving her eyes.

Sally just stood there, blinking, mouth partly open in surprise. She was just so moved yet again by his kindness and caring words. Her dearest jack was so wonderful and yet so tragic too in a way—he didn't just want to help her just to spoil her or because he felt obligated, he wanted to help her because he sincerely liked the idea of it and because he had never had anyone to help before. He even thought she was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time. And, most beautiful of all, he had just called her his darling.

As Jack's lips left her hand, Sally lowered their hands and smiled and moved forward. "Jack…" she cooed softly, her gaze still meeting his, "…Thank you, my dearest Jack. I didn't realize you felt that way. And if you really wanted to, I…well…" she swallowed, looking down a little, "There is one thing that I'd never be able to afford for a very long time and that I'd rather not go back to Dr. Finkelstein's for. So if you wanted to get that for me, I'd appreciate it very much. Anything else—little things—I'd like to make and earn for myself, but if you could help me get that one big thing, it would mean a lot to me."

Jack sighed softly, feeling lost in a daze and liking this sudden closeness between them. Somehow they were warm together—a skeleton and a doll, dead, yet warm. He savored the warmness and then sighed and replied softly back to Sally, "Yes, of course. What is it that you want, Sally? Whatever it is, I'll do my best to get it for you, my darling." Using that affectionate term again made Jack smile more.

Sally smiled more too. "A sewing machine. If I had one of those, I could sew lots of things, including some new clothes for myself and a nightgown, and also anything I could think of to trade for anything I needed, and it would be so much quicker and easier than sewing all by hand, and plus I…oh, I love to sew, Jack." A little purplish blush came to her cheeks. She took a small step closer to him. "I used to sew at my window all of the time and watch your house and wish that I…w-well…this." A shuddery, warm sigh escaped her. Their bodies were gently touching now, they still held hands and their foreheads lightly came together. Sally felt such a sudden longing to kiss him in this moment. They could kiss and hold and touch each other gently, warmly, completely, as though they could not live without each other… '_I don't need a silly dream like last night—right here and right now is so much better_.' Sally did her best not to giggle at the thought.

Meanwhile, Jack was just melting at her small confession about her past thoughts of him—gazing at his house from her window at Dr. Finkelstein's manor all those secret times. He had never smiled as much as he was doing right now, whether or not he realized it. _'O-Oh_…' A little tremble suddenly went through Jack's spine. He had just inhaled deeply through his nose. Sally smelled of autumn spices and fresh pumpkin pie and midnight—it was an intoxicating combination. "You used to sew and watch me…really? And you'd imagine doing this? H-How splendid…" left him in a soft gurgle with a little chuckle. "And what in the world was I doing during all of that instead of wishing for…_this_…too?" He moved in a little closer and now they were just wrapped in a warm, soft little cocoon of each other.

Sally giggled, starting to let her eyes close. She could have just rested in his presence like this forever. And the whiteness of his skull seemed to be brightening in fluster again—he was so cute! "Oh, you were doing all of those very sweet…and brilliant…and wonderful…and cute things you do all the time, Mister Pumpkin King." She giggled more. "I didn't want to impose."

"Oh, Miss Sally…" Jack chuckled, and somehow the arm of his hand not still entwined with hers found its way around her waist.

In return, Sally gave a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek and pulled back with her little crooked smile picked up on one side. "Jack, now what did I say about calling me 'Miss'? Do you want me to start calling you Pumpkin King? My handsome…charming…strong…suave…splendid…Pumpkin King?" She giggled so temptingly, so teasingly right near his ear.

Jack just trembled deeply right down the full length of his spine. "I-I…" he started in a daze, eye sockets half closed and a big grin still on his face. "I…" He had never felt so flustered in all of his death. And he felt his skull starting to heat up so much. What a perfectly pleasant sensation. "I-I don't know. I suppose you can call me whatever you'd like, my kind…sweet…pretty…perfect…splendid Miss Sally. A-And you did already just call me Pumpkin King—I figured I was entitled to call you 'Miss' just once for that." He paused for only an instant and then couldn't help giving her a little, lingering kiss on her cheek in return.

That simple action from him lit up Sally's eyes with joy. They were having a moment, a real romantic moment, and he was reciprocating everything instead of just avoiding their intimacy shyly or reverting to their former purely friendly interactions again. _'Oh…progress!_' She practically beamed! "Oh Jack…Dearest Jack…" she cooed dreamily, lost in sweet daydreams and the effect of his sweet compliments.

Jack, meanwhile, couldn't help but smile more at the sight of her (and at her little affectionate name for him—'dearest Jack'.) She was so lovely and kind. And he really liked this—giving each other compliments and whispering sweet nothings and holding each other. Sure, perhaps it tempted him toward more passionate things—things he might mess up or be unsure about—but perhaps having moments like this with her could be all right from time to time as long as he took things slowly.

Yet, not because he wanted the moment to end, but because of his desire to care for her in the best possible way he could no matter what might tempt him to put off such responsibilities, Jack had to sigh now and shift just slightly away from her. "Sally," he whispered softly, gently twirling a piece of her hair around his fingertips. "Sally, darling, I…I do hate to leave you, but I really must get more food for us for the house, and more firewood too. And the citizens need to see me after I've worried them so much lately. And of course I want to look into a sewing machine for you right away. So…can you do without me, darling? Can you do without me for just a little while? And then I'll come back and…maybe we can pick up where we left off? We are supposed to have another date tonight after all." Jack smiled a little sheepishly and gave a small shrug.

Despite the fact that he was asking to leave, and thus getting out of another deeply romantic moment, Sally simply couldn't be cross with him or even very upset about his request. She was just so moved by his tenderness and the gentle way he cooed his reasons to her for leaving and how sweet he was to want to get her sewing machine right away and also his care for the welfare of the other citizens. Besides, her leaves were fluttering like crazy inside of her body at this point and her knees were getting weak—she almost felt grateful at the idea of getting a little time to herself to savor and control her fluster and of course to bask in this sudden progression of Jack's romantic tendencies and how happy it made her. And so Sally nodded to Jack, gazing up at him in adoration. "I'll be all right. But will you hurry back, dearest Jack?" she asked softly.

Jack nodded with a soft smile, taking up her hand and kissing the back of it again. "You won't even have time to miss me." He winked. "And then when I get back, perhaps we'll discuss our date this evening? I want it to be just as special as the first one."

Sally lit up and nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, Jack! I'd like that so much. Thank you!" She wrapped her arms around him and suddenly hugged him tightly in her happiness.

Jack blinked and blanched a little at first, but then hugged her gently back with a chuckle. "You're welcome, Sally." He nuzzled her head and her soft yarn hair for a moment, savoring the scent of her again, and then gently pulled them apart. "Bye for now, my darling. I'll return shortly. In the meantime, you think of something fun to do on our date tonight. Oh, and while I'm looking into your sewing machine, I'll also get you some fabric for that nightgown you want to make." His smile picked up on one side. "You really can't think I'd just give you some old drapes or sheets to work with—you'll have something nice and new and that suits you. I insist." He gave her a small bow.

Sally smiled, clasping her hands in front of herself humbly. "Thank you, Jack."

"You're quite welcome." Jack straightened up and nodded, and then headed toward the door, giving her a little wave over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Sally."

Sally reached up and gave him a little wave in return. "Goodbye! I'll come up with some very fun ideas for our date while you're gone, Jack, I promise!" On an impulse she kissed her palm and blew it to him.

Jack blinked at the gesture as he paused for a moment by the door, but then he smiled bashfully and looked back to her, quickly kissing the palm of his hand and blowing her a kiss as well. "I'm sure whatever we end up doing will be wonderful, Sally…so long as I'm with you. Farwell, Sally." And with that and a smile in her direction he slipped out of the door and closed it behind him.

Sally just beamed, and then she clapped her hands together and her clever mind instantly got to work thinking. "We should do something really romantic tonight. Something very special and unexpected…but also something subtle so that Jack doesn't feel overwhelmed again. I'll have to start planning right away." Instantly she dashed over to the living room window and leaned out of it. "Zero!" she called for the little ghost dog.

After a moment, a bark met her ears, and then soon a smiling Zero flew into the house and kissed her many times.

Sally giggled and began to head up to the tower, Zero following alongside her. "Come on, Zero, you can help me think of the most romantic evening ever for me and Jack! I want it to be extra special."

"Arf! Arf!" Zero replied with a nod, and soon the two were up in Sally's tower room ready to plan everything out.

* * *

The bell over the witches' shop rang as a certain familiar skeletal customer exited to the street outside after completing his purchases…and as Helgamine and Zeldabourne just watched him go with confused looks.

"Did Jack seem…strange to you?" Helgamine scratched her head, still staring at the door.

"Strange in a good, scary way or strange in a bad, confusing way?" Zeldabourne asked, looking up to the taller witch.

(At this point, behind the witches while they conversed, three familiar trick-or-treaters could be seen dropping down stealthily from the ceiling or coming up through a trap door or popping out from behind a shelf. And as the witches spoke, the three children silently but quickly gathered some cheap cloth with plans to hightail it back to their tree house as soon as they had swiped their necessary supplies.)

"Strange in an…odd way," was all Helgamine could reply. She looked down at the smaller witch. "I've never seen him act that way. He came in, we said hi charmingly like we usually do and complimented him and fawned over him and told him how wonderful and glorious of a leader he is…

"Well, of course we did—he _is_ Jack, after all," Zeldabourne added, throwing her arms in the air. "He's perfect! And scary!"

Helgamine sighed. "But instead of just thanking us and changing the subject like he always does since he loves to play hard to get, he…he just looked away and smiled and he laughed!"

Zeldabourne giggled. "I know. Wasn't it great? He has the dreamiest laugh!"

"But that's just it—he's never laughed before, not like that." Helgamine went on. "And then when he asked for all of those unusual cuts of cloth and you told him he had exquisite taste, instead of changing the subject he smiled again and gazed off a little bit again and said he was sure his taste was no more exquisite than yours."

Zeldabourne sighed dreamily. "Yeah, he did, didn't he?"

Helgamine rolled her eyes. "And then when he was getting ready to go and I asked him if he was feeling back to his old, spooky, 'making walls fall and mountains crack' self now that Christmas was over, he didn't nervously back away! He just smiled a lot and said he was feeling even better than ever and that it was such a splendid day to be dead."

Zeldabourne sighed and shrugged. "So what's your point?"

Helgamine put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Like I said, my point is he's acting strange. I just hope that crash on Christmas Eve didn't rattle his skull. He's not playing hard to get but he certainly didn't start flirting back with us. He just…took it in stride and acted so perky! That's about as unlike him as it gets!"

Zeldabourne considered. "I don't know, I guess he was acting a little different. Do you really think we should be worried? He did seem kind of distracted, now that you mention it. But he did buy all of those strange colors of cloth—maybe he's just got a new project he's working on?"

(In the background the three trick-or-treaters had everything they could carry, so they met as a group, winked at each other, and then Lock used his pitchfork to get himself back up into the ceiling, Barrel squeezed himself through the trap door…but Shock lingered. The conversation had caught her attention.)

Helgamine sighed. "Oh…I suppose it's fine. And maybe you're right about the project. The point is he's safe…even if his head is a little in the clouds. But then again, this is Jack we're talking about." She smiled. "Maybe we should just enjoy this new easygoing, daydreamy streak of his. After all, as you say, he is the master of fright…he's made countless generations weak in the knees in fear, and he's the essence of scariness on Halloween night. If he wants to smile to himself and be a little more charming than usual, who are we to complain?"

The two witches sighed dreamily together and then laughed at the idea.

(Shock, meanwhile, rubbed her chin in thought, and then a distinct grin picked up on one side of her face. '_Jack's distracted…That's very, very, very good for us.'_ And then she finally slipped out of the back door with the cloth, laughing to herself as the group met up again and made their way back to the tree house).

* * *

About an hour later, Jack Skellington was coming in sight of his home, a few small bags of groceries and other items in one hand and a box full of something under his other arm. And he had a smile on his face and was whistling 'This is Halloween' as merrily as could be to himself. And indeed, what was there not to be merry about—he had successfully purchased every necessary item he could think of for the house and his and Sally's comfort plus some different fabrics for Sally to choose from for her nightgown (it had been 'fun' for Jack, by the way, buying several yards of multiple fabrics in somewhat feminine colors and picking up much more food than he usually ate and searching for a sewing machine all in various shops without arousing any of the citizens' suspicions or outright lying to them about Sally). And speaking of the sewing machine, Jack had indeed (somewhat) successfully managed to secure that special item for Sally. And he would now get to spend the rest of the day with his darling Sally hearing about what wonderful plans she might have thought up for their date tonight. Perhaps sitting by the fire and reading? Or letting him watch her embark upon her sewing projects and helping her plan her future enterprises as a seamstress? Or they could even just go on a little walk again. Yes, the possibilities were endless and all just splendid!

"Jack! Welcome home!"

These words called out to him in a happy, familiar voice made Jack pause before opening his front door. He looked over to a window of the tower to see Sally smiling and waving out of it down to him. He instantly smiled back up at her. "Thank you, Sally!" he called back warmly. "It's…It's good to be home." Someone to welcome him home—Jack had never realized how much he might like that idea until this moment in his life.

Sally smiled more. "I'll be right down to help you with whatever you bought!"

Jack smiled but replied politely, "Oh, it's all right, my darling, I can manage. No need to trouble yourself."

Of course, though, Sally just gave him a little smirk and replied, "Oh Jack, don't be silly." She winked and then disappeared inside, and he knew she was heading down to the main part of he house to help him. The idea only made Jack smile more to himself as he managed to push open the door with his hip.

"Oh Jack, here, let me take that. What in the world did you get?" Sally, finishing her descent from the attic passage, instantly dashed across the living room to meet him at the door and took some of the bags from his one hand, placing them on the sofa. Then she couldn't help but turn back to Jack and eye the box under his arm curiously.

Jack smiled (and put down the rest of his bags to tuck the box just a little more behind him, teasing her a bit). "Hmm…well, I got some spices…" he listed things slowly deliberately, smiling more and more as he went along and her curiosity clearly grew, "…and some new kind of tea….some rotten eggs…moldy cheese...mashed pumpkin…pumpkin juice…Ooo, some chocolate worms wart candies for you." He chuckled and winked at her.

Sally's eyes lit up with happiness at all he had bought for them and especially at that last little present for her. "Oh Jack, that was very thoughtful of you." She smiled sincerely but then still couldn't help peering over at whatever he was hiding again. "And, um…anything else?"

"Fabric," Jack replied, though he gestured to one of the bags on the sofa rather than to the box still held slightly behind himself. "Dozens of yards of several kinds for your nightgown and for anything else you might like to make or wear. It's all for you."

Sally's eyes went wide as she looked at the bags. "Ooo…thank you, Jack!" Her smiling face then turned back to Jack, and for a moment it was obvious that she was torn between wanting to express even more gratitude for and give even more attention to the fabric and really wanting to know what was in that box he kept hiding from her.

Jack just chuckled, recognizing her dilemma. "Oh and, yes, there _was_ one more thing I got…" He brought the box forward a little. "I checked around and unfortunately no one had a spare sewing machine, Sally. But I did get several parts for one and some plans…so I've decided I'm going to build you one! What do you think?" His eye sockets lit up in eagerness.

Sally blinked, her eyes going wide for a moment, and then she smiled ear to ear. "Oh Jack!" She dove right at him, crushing him in a big hug. "You're so…so…Oh Jack! Thank you!" She laughed happily.

Jack smiled and laughed too, hugging her back with his free arm. "You're welcome, Sally. I'm glad you're so happy about the idea." They embraced for a moment longer and then Jack pulled back a little. "Now, I'll just take these parts up to my workspace in the tow—oh, I…" Jack blinked, realizing his error: no more workspace. For a moment he felt a little bad about that loss, but then of course the memory that the reason he didn't have a tower to work in anymore was because a beautiful, clever, caring woman was using it as a bedroom quickly completely outweighed any regrets. He smiled again and shrugged. "I'll just put the parts in my room and work on them later." He winked and walked toward his bedroom door, opening it to place the box down inside and then closing the door behind him and returning to Sally.

He was met with a slightly frowning Sally who was looking down and biting her lower lip.

Jack blinked and came closer to her, his skull tilted to the side. "Sally…is something wrong?"

Sally sighed and glanced up at him. "Oh, I..I just…" she shrugged, putting her hands behind her back, "I guess the tower was sort of your private work space, wasn't it? And now I've sort of taken it over. I'm sorry about that, Jack. I hope it won't be too much of a bother to you." She looked at him sincerely.

Jack blinked at her reply. "Sally…" A smile picked up at one side of his mouth and he almost chuckled, taking one of her hands in both of his. "This house is huge—I can work anywhere in it, really. Besides, I like how the tower is now much better—it's clean and neat and pretty and cozy…much better than being strewn with holiday decorations and half overturned furniture and full of dust because I'm so lax about the housekeeping. And also…" something soft and kind came into his eye sockets as he finished, "I would trade a thousand towers to work in for my one little tower with you safely bundled up in it. I promise."

Sally eyes went wide and then she just glanced down, looking the shyest he had ever seen her (and smiling the most he had ever seen her do so far). "Jack, I don't know what to say…" left her softly. She beamed and yet seemed so very overwhelmed.

"You don't have to say anything, Sally…" He smiled, squeezing her hand a little. "I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you a little. But you are very special to me, and I think it's important that I keep letting you know it."

He watched as Sally sighed softly and then finally glanced up to his eye sockets. "Thank you again for the tower, Jack." It was a simple statement, but full of all the sincere gratitude she felt toward him as her friend, her King, and now the man who was courting her.

Jack smiled more. "You're welcome, Sally…for the tower and for whatever else I've ever given to make you happy." He hesitated but then moved forward and wrapped his free arm around her in a gentle hug.

Sally let out a soft, happy sigh, nestling against him. "Jack? Do you want me to make us some tea and to share my chocolates and then maybe talk about our date for tonight?"

Jack nodded, pulling back a little to look down at her with a smile. "That all sounds perfectly splendid, Sally darling. Let's do just that." He blanched just a little and added, "And…is it okay that I call you darling sometimes now? I think it's starting to grow on me."

Sally nodded, smiling more. "Only if you don't mind me calling you dearest Jack sometimes."

Jack nodded. "It's a deal."

The two pulled apart and then went about unpacking the groceries and preparing the tea. Soon, Sally would explain her plans for their evening to Jack (though not all the way, wanting to surprise him a little) and then she would dash upstairs with her fabric to begin setting things up for the evening.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! Stay tuned for more as Jack and Sally's relationship progresses (and the town gets used to Jack's new outlook on life…and the trick-or-treaters continue with their plans…and the Doctor and Jewel come into play soon…and I promise, Jack has a few more 'visits' to Sally up his sleeve ^_^). I hope you all enjoyed and thank you in advance for any reviews!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	8. A Second Date (and Jack's Second Visit)

[Type text]

**A/N:**

Hey everyone! Thank you for your reviews, and I'm glad the story seems to be going over well : ) I hope you enjoy this latest installment (and another look at the many potential sides of Jack ;) ). I'll do my best for once a week updates if I can, but at the very most they'll be once every two weeks. Thank you all for your patience, and please review if you can!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 8:**

**A Second Date (and Jack's Second Visit)**

* * *

The sky was dark, the moon and stars shone brightly as ever over the Halloween Town sky, and Jack was currently waiting in his attic at the bottom of a certain pair of stairs feeling torn between pure anticipation and utter uncertainty. '_Just a few more moments until it's time. She said seven o'clock. I don't want to be early, but I don't want to be late. I want to be right on time for her.'_ He wrung his hands a little and looked at one of the old, dusty grandfather clocks stored up here. '_6:59 pm…_' He turned back to the stairs, adjusted his nice bowtie and dusted off his fresh suit, and prepared to wait a minute longer.

After he had come home that afternoon with all of his nice things for Sally and the two of them had sat down to tea and talking together, Sally had told Jack that she had a the most wonderful plan for their date tonight…but that she also wanted it to be a surprise. And she had been so cute after saying that, giggling and shrugging and looking downward so mysteriously, that of course he had gone along with her desire to take care of all the plans for their evening together without question. And from the moment he had nodded his skull, she had beamed, kissed him right on the forehead, and then dashed off with the new fabrics he had bought her, leaving Jack in a little love sick daze for several moments before he had gone off to tinker with the parts for her new sewing machine and then to take a nice walk along the outskirts of town while she prepared their secret dinner (it was peaceful outside of town away from the usual Halloween hustle and bustle…though Jack had thought for just a moment that he had seen some odd scurrying out near the trick-or-treaters tree house near the gorge…though a second look made him wonder if it was just a trick of the light and just his own recent troubling experiences with Oogie Boogie making him see things for a moment).

The clock struck 7 PM, and Jack felt his skull heat as a word he had just used in his last thought on Sally suddenly struck him. '_Lovesick? Am I…? No, really, don't call it that. Me…in love with Sally.'_ Jack was instantly reminded of his visit to Valentine Town and what all of the citizens there had said about him being full of love. And not that he didn't realize that 'being in love' might be the most accurate description for his feelings toward Sally, but still he just couldn't admit it to himself let alone anybody else. _'I've barely seen her in this romantic light for more than a couple of days—who am I to presume having such deep feelings for her? It's just not logical. If she had that feeling for me, that would be one thing—she's cared for me like this for so very long, after all, that true love would have had time to really blossom. Though she hasn't told me she loves me, so I suppose she's not quite in love just yet. And if __she's__ not in love yet, how could __I__ already say that I'm in love with her?_'

Jack sighed deeply and glanced down with a touch of distress, crossing his arms over his chest. '_Besides, it's not as though I have much experience in this area. I don't even think I know what being in love is.'_ Indeed, Jack (blanching now) had to admit to himself that despite his natural appeal to women, he had never really gotten close to one in a special way. He had spent so many years alone during which he had suppressed everything for the sake of his professionalism and privacy. Companionship? Not a life requirement, really, or at least intimate companionship wasn't. One could survive without it. Affection? Friends could be affectionate enough, and so could family…and the whole town was sort of like his family so that was taken care of. Romance? He could just read a romantic novel. No problem… Passion? H-He had Halloween…and then Christmas…to be passionate about. That could tide him over well enough. A woman, specifically? He had learned to not care much for the Halloween Town women at first—they seemed to want things from him that he couldn't give them anyway. Their obsession with him was just too much, and he had learned to want to be left alone. Yes, thoughts, feelings, urges, desires all could be locked away and abandoned, all _had_ been locked away and abandoned. He didn't need those things, he could be Jack without those things, he could be the Pumpkin King without those things….

…Even if the loneliness that way of living created contributed to a deep, dark, sad hole in him that he hadn't been able to understand properly until Sally had saved him and held him and kissed him.

Jack leaned against the wall near the staircase to the tower. It was already 7:02 but he couldn't go up yet. A frown of the most melancholy sort was upon his features. His time with Sally had made him forget, but in this moment he recalled the loneliness that had always been there in his life—his 'fear', dare he say, of getting too close to anybody and admitting his doubts and worries and moment of dissatisfaction with their holiday and also with his life and having them not be able to accept it. The citizens needed someone confident and sure to guide them, and he wanted to give them that person…but he wasn't sure if they could handle knowing that their proud leader wasn't always so proud and sometimes even wondered if he was the best leader her could be or the best person he could be.

Yet, Jack couldn't help but get close to Sally. In fact, he actually wanted intimacy with Sally, even though he remained uneasy about what her response to the many sides and moods of him might be. '_What if she didn't like me anymore? All she's ever known is the happy, dancing, singing Jack just like almost everyone else in town. What if she finds out there's more to me and it upsets her or makes her worry? What if she knows about all the painful feelings from the past and all the romantic feelings I'm thinking of having now, and it's just too much?_' Jack sighed very deeply, closing his eye sockets. There was something he couldn't share with her since he knew it would overwhelm anyone too much, especially this early in a relationship, but he was starting to need her in his life. Sally lit him up, she made the sun shine inside of him, she made that hole of loneliness feel all filled with beauty…true beauty…the beauty of something intrinsically so good that all it could bring was happiness and joy. She made him so happy, and maybe he made her happy too.

Jack whispered quietly to himself. "Please let her care for me forever, whether she falls in love with me or just wants to be friends, or something in between. I'm a better person with her around—and I hope she can say the same about me one day. Even if I'm not ready to say I'm in love with her, I do love Sally very, very much. I hope we'll be very good for each other…no matter what happens about anything else." Jack let out a very deep breath and tried his best for once not to think about the past anymore and just to savor the happy evening waiting for him.

Jack was removed from his personal moment by the sound of someone with a familiar soft, light voice clearing her throat and saying these words. "Jack? Um…I don't mean to rush you, but it's after seven, and I…I-I'm ready up here, if you want to come up and you're ready too."

Jack blinked, his eye sockets flying open once more. He had almost forgotten about the time. He took a deep breath, brushed away any tear or two that may or may not have started to form at the edges of his eye sockets, and then put a smile on his face and looked up the staircase to the tower. He could see Sally's eyes peeking down at him from the opening in the floor above.

At the sight of her, a much more sincere smile spread over Jack's features. He called up to her. "I'm sorry, Sally. I just, um…I suppose I'm just anxious about the surprise. I'm all ready for it though." He winked at her.

Sally giggled. "Okay, Jack. Come up when you're ready then." Something shy and blush-like came to the tops of her cheeks, and then her head slipped out of sight.

Jack looked up at her curiously and felt himself already thoroughly intrigued. He began to ascend the stairs. "Whenever I feel sad, the idea of you makes me feel happy again. It's just one more thing I love about you, my Sally…" he whispered to himself softly, nearing the tower and his dearest friend within it.

* * *

Earlier, Sally had run upstairs with Zero at her side to prepare for her and Jack's date tonight while Jack had promised to leave her to her surprise. And once she had reached the tower and finally was alone, the first thing Sally had done was examine all the new sewing materials Jack had gotten her because if there was one thing she knew she wanted for tonight, first and foremost, it was a new dress to wear on their date.

"Ooo…" Sally sifted through the bag with interest. Jack had stuck primarily with cotton cloth, simple colors, and standard patterns, yet he had gotten enough of a variety to keep her in patchwork outfits for years to come if she wanted. Sally examined each piece carefully, trying to find something inspirational for her new dress. "Zero, I don't want my new dress to be like the dress I have now—just as good for walking around or doing housework as it is for going out in," Sally explained to her companion, who was likewise examining the fabric with interest and just smiling at how much Sally was smiling. "I want it to be a special dress—something I would only wear on a date with Jack. Something more elegant than my patchwork one, and a little more flattering, and something really eye-catching."

"Arf!" Zero nodded and started laying out the different styles of cloth for her on the rug so that she could make her decision more easily.

Sally giggled. "Thank you, Zero. You've been so nice to me ever since I came here—no wonder Jack considers you his best friend."

"Rrr…" Zero gave a little shy growl and looked away, smiling, his nose glowing.

Sally smiled more and took him up in her hands to give that nose a little kiss. "And I hope it's all right if I consider you a best friend too."

"Arf!" Zero nodded enthusiastically and started licking Sally's face.

Sally laughed warmly. "I'll take that as a yes." He kept kissing her, and she petted him some more but then turned her attention back to the bag. "We can play more later, Zero. Right now we don't have too much time, and I have a whole dress to sew and we have a whole date to set up." She glanced at the fabrics Zero had laid out and then leaned down so her head was in the bag. "Hmm…I think that's everything. Oh, wait, I missed something!" Sally sat up and then reached into the bag and pulled out a little extra parcel wrapped in black tissue paper with a little note attached to it, folded up. Curious, Sally examined the item. It seemed like it was an extra piece of fabric wrapped up so delicately. She placed down the package and opened the note.

'_Dearest Sally,_

_I hope I did all right picking out fabrics for you. I'm not very adept at sewing myself, so I wasn't really sure what to get. And as I said I've never had a woman's comfort and preferences to look out for before, so I wasn't sure what would work best for dresses and nightgowns. But I did my best, and the witches helped me a little too (don't worry, they don't suspect a thing about us—we can tell everyone about our new relationship when we're ready). _

_Anyway, I hope I got enough fabric and that it pleases your tastes and lets you make enough clothing to be as warm and comfortable here as possible. I care for you so much, my Sally._

_I got the cloth—or rather, the silk—in this package as an extra present for you. It's not a very warm fabric, I know, but I couldn't help myself. The color just seemed like something that would suit you too well to pass it by. And you did say midnight blue was your favorite color. Perhaps you can make a lovely scarf or a spring cape out of it or something? _

_I suppose I could have told you all of this in person, but I like writing to you, Sally. It feels nice, and besides I…I find myself rather tongue-tied around you as of late. But then again what bashful young man ever found it easy to talk to a beautiful girl?_

_I'll look forward so much to seeing what you make, my darling._

_Eternally,_

_Your dearest Jack Skellington._

Sally took in a deep breath as she finished the note, her eyes lighting up at its writer's charm, his concern, his thoughtfulness all for her. "I always knew he was the sweetest, most wonderful man in town," she mumbled to herself softly, hugging the note to her chest. Then she folded up the note and placed it into her pocket to see to the little package. Sally carefully undid the tissue paper and lifted the silky contents up to admire them.

"Ooo…" Sally cooed, smiling more.

The length of silk was several yards long, and the color at first appeared to be black. But, no, wait…. She looked at it more closely. The silk was blue, in fact, but such a deep, dark, midnight blue that it could seem black in dim lighting. Yet, the fact that it really was just the richest blue, she knew, would make it match up perfectly with her pale blue skin. And yet the touch of blackness about the silk intrigued her as well. She had always wondered how she would look in black.

Sally looked at the fabric for a while, and then glanced to some of the other fabrics laid out before her.

Zero watched with interest, an eyebrow raised. He knew the look on Sally's face all too well—it was the same look his master got on his face when he was getting a brilliant idea.

Suddenly, Sally looked up, her smile beaming and her eyes almost twinkling. "Zero," she looked to the little ghost dog, standing up and gathering a few specific cloth pieces from the floor to go along with the silk still cradled in her arms, "While I make the dress, would you mind helping me by handing me pins and thread when I need them and giving me your opinion? And while we're working we can talk about how to set up the tower this evening for Jack and I."

"Arf!" Zero nodded and winked, and then he flew over to Sally's coatrack dress dummy and nudged it closer to the center of the room.

Sally grabbed up some thread and needles and scissors and came to join Zero with the dummy. "Wonderful, thank you so much, Zero." Sally laid everything out on the floor, then grabbed a piece of paper and a quill off a nearby desk and started planning things out. "I finally have the time and material to make a beautiful dress for myself—I just hope Jack thinks it's beautiful too."

"Arf!" Zero smiled and winked at her.

Sally giggled. "I'll take your word for it, Zero. And for what it's worth, I have a very good feeling he'll like it too." Sally put down her paper for a moment to lift up the silk, and took up the scissors. She began cutting. "So, as for dinner…I planned out some nice dishes that I can make with the ingredients Jack bought today—I really want it to feel like a fancy, cozy, romantic, candlelit dinner for two. But I still feel like something's missing from the menu." She frowned a little to herself. "I can't put my finger on it though. Do you have any ideas, Zero?" Sally glanced at the little dog.

Zero instantly put down the pins he was holding and nodded to her enthusiastically. Then he gave a little twirl in the air and quickly flew out the window.

Sally watched him go curiously, but then went back to cutting the silk with a smile. "I'm sure he'll come back with something wonderful soon, something I never would have thought of in a million years."

Sally continued cutting and drawing and sewing for several minutes until suddenly she heard Zero return through the window. She turned and smiled at him. "Zero, there you are. Where did you—" She blinked, her eyes going a little wide.

Zero had a certain special item in his mouth clearly for Jack and Sally's dinner.

Sally blinked a couple of times and then smiled. "Oh Zero…I don't know where you got that from, but it's perfect. Please put it downstairs in the ice box and don't let Jack see you." She winked.

Zero nodded and flew away with the item. He returned shortly to keep helping Sally with her dress and her plans for the evening. And the pair had continued working together (first up here and then downstairs in the kitchen) for the several hours until the date was finally set to start.

* * *

In the present, Sally waited anxiously as Jack finally ascended the last few steps to her little tower room.

As he stepped onto the floor and let the trap door close behind him, Sally instantly felt her leaves flutter with warmth, and she had to look down, her hands clasped gently in front of herself, a small smile on her lips. '_Oh, I hope Zero was right—I hope Jack really will think my dress is nice._' "Hello, Jack. I'm…very glad you're here." She glanced up at him, her smile growing.

"I'm glad too, Sally. So what did you have planned…for…um…wow…" Jack knew it was probably a little rude but he couldn't help completely losing track of his sentence and then just standing there after the 'wow' comment with wide eye sockets and a slightly dropped jaw as he finally processed the sight of Sally before him. But stunned awe seemed the only appropriate response to having left a young lady up here with a random assortment of cloth, her usual needles, and a fine cut of silk…and now suddenly a few hours later finding her standing before you in the most flattering dress (if not gown) he could ever have conceived of for her.

Sally had taken the dark silk, blue like black, and trimmed and sewed part of it into a bodice hugging her body. Then she had taken cuts from several different shades of blue and green and grey cloth and stitched them into a patchwork skirt for the dress that flared out a little and fell just below her knees. Then she had taken two blue strips of fabric and stitched them onto the top of the dress to act as a pair of very short sleeves. She still wore her black shoes with the cute striped socks, and her hair fell in waves about her head as it had done on their date last night, and her lips were a burning red again, and…oh who could go on? And Jack barely knew what to do with such a beautiful creature, such a beautiful Sally, looking beyond his any vision of her he had ever imagined. All he could do was feel his marrow race and hope his blanching wasn't too bad.

"Jack…?"

Her soft voice broke shakily upon his near fantasies. Jack blinked and nearly gasped a little. "Hmm?! O-Oh, um…um, yes?" he managed, trying to sound smooth and casual but grinning sheepishly (and utterly failing at his intended appearance of normalcy.)

Sally smiled quite a bit. For just a moment, Jack had had that look again…that look from her dream (and briefly from this morning) where he gazed at her with more than just tender affection—like there was passion, desire, a spark inside of him about her. It had been brief like the other times, but its appearance even in a small way gave Sally total confidence in the success of her dress. She almost wanted to pinch herself to make sure this moment wasn't another dream. But she knew none of this was a dream as he now stood there before her suddenly as shy and nervous and sweet as ever—her dearest Jack who she would love no matter how reserved he might be.

Sally just sighed and smiled at Jack, arms behind her back. "Um…I just wanted to thank you for the fabric again, Jack. I…the Doctor never let me have may materials to work with—that's why I had to make my dress of rags and scraps. It's so nice to make myself something nice and new to wear. And I loved silk you got me, Jack, really and truly." She looked into his eyes with a smile. "Do…Do you like what I've done with it all, Jack?" She shrugged a little, glancing down at her dress humbly..

Jack glanced down humbly for a moment, his smile growing, and then looked back up at her. "It's a beautiful dress for a beautiful lady. I'm so happy you liked the fabric so much, Sally. You're so talented and creative, my darling." And then he shuffled forward, reached out his hand, took one of hers and raised it up and gently kissed the back of it.

Part of Sally wanted to swoon and collapse into his arms, but she settled for giggling and nodding. "Oh. Thank you, dearest Jack."

The sound of her giggle made Jack smile all the more as he finished his kiss to the back of her hand. Then he looked into her eyes, tenderness and sweetness in his gaze. "You're eternally welcome, Sally." He gave her hand a little squeeze before releasing it. "Now, I really cannot wait to hear what my darling Sally has planned for our date tonight. The suspense has been just killing me all over again." He chuckled. Then he blinked. "Oh, but, if we're going to be outside for any period of time, you'll be far too cold in that dress. I'm sure I have a nice flannel blanket or quilt you could use as a cowl, and then the next time I'm in town I'll be sure to pick you up some wool so you can sew a proper one for yourself." He smiled again.

Sally smiled back in appreciation but shook her head. "Oh Jack, don't worry, that won't be necessary. Actually," she rocked back and forth on her feet little, hands clasped in front of herself. "I thought we could just stay in tonight and have our date up here." And then she stepped aside so that Jack could get a proper view of the room.

Jack's eye sockets went wide with surprise again this evening. A lovely fire glowed in the hearth, there were some candles lit around the room to provide a little extra light, Sally had fluffed the pillows from her sofa and laid them down upon her largest blanket on the floor before the fire, and on that blanket were two silver candlesticks with lit candles in them, a couple of plates with cutlery, and a large wicker basket with a few covered silver trays of food resting alongside it. And in a little vase at the center of it all sat the flowers Jack had brought Sally for their first date together last night.

Sally explained the scene in her shyest tone. "I thought we could have a picnic up here and sit by the fire and talk. Going out is fun, but we've been through so much lately that I thought a night in would be nice for us." And, though Sally didn't add this last thought aloud, she also liked the idea of having Jack all alone up here in her room with her for the evening. The idea reminded her of some private daydreams and fantasies from the past—Jack scaling the wall of the doctor's manor, stealthily entering her room, scooping her up for kisses and telling her he couldn't deny how meant to be they were any longer. Sally sighed softly. "Everything's ready for us. Just come with me, Jack." She let her eyes go half lidded and reached out her hand to take his and lead him inside.

Jack was enchanted with her plans and her gaze to say the least. "Oh…all right then…" he replied airily, allowing himself to be led with a grin. '_Who wouldn't follow a vision like her…with eyes like those. Oh, they're like twilight moons flecked with the glow of jack-o-lanterns, and she—'_

"Jack? Aren't you going to sit down?"

Jack blinked and snapped out of it, though frankly part of him hadn't wanted to. Something about musing over her loveliness just made him so happy. And as long as he did it in his head instead of overwhelming her by announcing such thoughts, he didn't see any harm. _'But you're on a date now. Focus on the real her, and you can daydream later. Besides, you don't want to get caught in a daze and embarrass yourself.'_ He smiled and nodded to Sally, taking his seat on a pillow on the 'picnic' blanket. "Of course. I'm sorry, Sally, it's just that this room looks like a vision tonight…and so do you." He blanched and moved just a little closer to her, his smile growing.

Sally flushed a little purple and smiled a lot. "And you look very handsome, Jack." She observed his choice of attire. "This suit is black with off white pinstripes. I think it suits you, but so did the black one with light gray pinstripes from last night of course."

Jack blinked and tilted his skull to the side. "You noticed the pinstripes?"

Sally nodded and shrugged. "I'm a seamstress, Jack. I notice lots of things about people's clothes that I guess most people don't. And besides, I can't help but appreciate the fact that you've dressed up for me for both our dates." She glanced down shyly.

"Says the woman who's made herself look positively stunning for both of those dates," Jack countered, catching her eyes with his. "I just picked out a nice suit—you're the one who keeps magically making yourself even lovelier than ever." He sighed. "I really love the dress, Sally, and this picnic you made for us, and the idea of staying in together—I couldn't have planned a better date myself."

Sally smiled up at him and then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "You already planned a perfect one for us last night—this one is my way of returning the favor." She looked to the basket and opened it up. "Now, I think we should eat, Jack. You've had such a full day, I know you must be starving." Sally began to set everything up, naming their dishes for the evening as she went along. "I heated up the rest of last night's stew and added some cut up rotten vegetables from what you brought home today. And I also baked us some fresh garlic and cloves bread, and then I toasted it so we could eat it with the stew. I also made some mashed pumpkin with a browned butter and onion sauce, and some wilted greens cooked with pumpkin seed oil. And then I curdled a fresh little batch of sour cream for us to put on things. And then to drink I…"

Sally crawled away from the blanket for a moment to reach behind the side of the couch. She pulled forward a little basin with some ice in it and containing a single bottle of pumpkin wine. Sally blushed a little and explained as she produced two long stem glasses from the picnic basket. "To drink, I…well, Zero brought me this for us. I can't understand him like you can, Jack, but I think he tried to show me that you have a little wine cellar in the basement. And he seemed to think you wouldn't mind if we used a bottle tonight." She glanced down and shrugged, playing with her fingers while the wine and glasses just sat beside her. "But, I know wine's expensive and that bottle might be rare, so if you were saving what's down there for a special occasion or something, I can just put it back. I—"

_POP!_

The sound of the wine bottle cork being popped off made Sally stop in her apologies and blink and look up with wide eyes.

A somewhat shy looking Jack was just putting aside the cork and pouring each of them a glass of the amber liquid contained within.

"_You __are_ a special occasion," he replied. "And I can't think of any that could be more special, so how about this…" He glanced at her with a little smile, "…The only person I'll ever drink a bottle of pumpkin wine with will be you for the rest of eternity…all right?"

There was a moment of perfect silence during which Sally sat there with her jaw opened and her eyes wide as could be. She looked almost confused.

Jack moved a little closer to her, then picked up one glass and put it in front of himself and picked up the other one and held it out to her. "Sally…is something wrong?" He still couldn't believe her slight guilt and her apologies over a simple bottle of wine, which was why he had opened the bottle himself, poured both of them glasses, and offered hers to her…and had promised to never drink a single sip of what was in that cellar without her ever again. She was more special to him than anybody, after all. '_And I'll keep letting her know it until the end of time.'_ He smiled more to himself.

Finally, Sally blinked and spoke, her eyes focusing in on the glass he was still holding out to her. "Jack…I…you didn't have to promise…I…Oh Jack…" Sally almost felt tears gather at the corner of her eyes—no one had ever said anything so sweet and caring to her before. "Thank you," she managed softly. She bit her lower lip, eyes down, focusing on the wine glass and the glowing gold within it and smiling so much. She took the glass and brought her eyes to his.

Jack smiled more and placed his glass down. "But before we drink, first thing's first. You were right, we've both had long days and, come to think of it, neither of us had a proper lunch—just some tea and chocolates—and you did put so much energy and effort into your dress and our picnic. So why don't we serve ourselves some of your delicious dinner before it gets cold, and then we'll try the wine, hmm?" Jack picked up a plate and handed it to Sally and then took a plate of his own.

Sally placed down her glass and nodded. "Okay, Jack. You're right. Besides, I am very hungry. And I even made a devil's food cake for dessert."

Jack chuckled. "It sound delicious, Sally. I can't wait."

And with that, the pair proceeded to ladle themselves bowls of soup and to set themselves up plates brimming with greens and pumpkin and Sally's delicious bread.

Once their dinners were in place, Jack and Sally looked to each other and then Jack raised his glass of wine. "Sally, I'd like to propose a toast. Will you drink with me?"

Sally nodded and reached out to raise her own glass. "What are we toasting to, Jack?"

Jack smiled more, his eyes hazing a little in shyness. "How about to dearest friends?"

Sally smiled more and nodded. "To dearest friends…and, um…more than friends?" She blushed a little.

Jack nodded, blanching slightly, gazing at his beautiful lady friend all aglow in the firelight. "To dearest friends and more than friends."

The two glasses clinked, and the two lovers took sips of their pumpkin wine.

Sally put down her glass and giggled. "The bubbles are ticklish." Then she went and took up her plate to start eating (while Jack tried not to melt inside about how cute her comment about the bubbles had been).

Jack took up his plate to start eating as well. As soon as the first forkful hit his mouth, his eye sockets went wide and his smile beamed. He chewed and swallowed. "Sally, this is just superb! The flavors, the spices, even the texture—I've never had pumpkin cooked just like this."

"Oh Jack," Sally glanced down humbly, "You're just saying that. I-It's all right, I suppose. I told you I'm not an expert or anything."

Jack, however, just chuckled and insisted. "They are delightful delicacies from a delightful…dolly." Jack's eyes went wide, and he felt his skull heat up. Had he really just called her that? Had he really just called her a dolly? Jack looked to Sally to see how she might take this sudden new term of affection.

Sally had paused in her eating and was looking at her plate with a big smile and bright eyes. Then those eyes came up to look at him, and she giggled. "Dolly?"

Jack grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

Sally giggled more. "Oh Jack, you're silly sometimes." She moved a little closer alongside him, and now their hips touched on the blanket. "My silly skeleton." She took another bite of food, looking so very pleased.

Jack's attention went back to his own food as well, his grin picking up on one side. '_Silly skeleton. She's my delightful dolly, and I'm her silly skeleton._' He chuckled. And then he moved even closer to let them rest more against each other. Then Jack had an idea. "Sally, while we eat, would you like me to tell you some old Halloween Town legends? I promise they're very fun to listen to and not too scary."

Sally nodded. "Oh, I'd love that, Jack. I don't know too much about the legends and everyone's histories since I was created so late after everyone else."

Jack nodded. "Very well then." He cleared his throat. "Now, let's start with the legend of the Guardian of the Town Gate. You've seen him before, Sally—the parrot-looking fellow. Well, it all started a few centuries ago, though I remember it like it was yesterday. You see…"

And so as the couple continued on with their date and dinner, Jack told Sally stories and Sally listened intently and asked questions, the two of them cuddled up close together in front of the roaring, romantic fire. And the night wore on.

(By the way, Jack had been nervous before his date—and a little hungry after his walk—and so he had eaten a few more of his special Valentine candies before coming to Sally.)

* * *

"Sally? Wake up, my Sally…my delightful dolly. My delightful…delectable…delicious… desirable…decadent little dolly, wake up, please. How can I profess sweetest adoration for you if you're asleep, dear dolly?"

These words cooed in a deep, sultry, velvety voice woke up Sally from a quite peaceful and happy slumber.

Sally's eyes fluttered open, and she just yawned lazily, not really putting together what the words meant or what familiar person was saying them so much as just processing the sounds. "Hmm…is it morning yet? It's so dark…but so light." (The fire still glowed, and she had been facing it as she slept).

"It's the dead of night," the voice replied. "That's why I decided to wake up my sleeping beauty from resting with me. It seemed like the perfect romantic time to woo her. Though of course I remember that last time I came to her, she accidentally fainted, so naturally I'll be much, much gentler with her this time. Hmm…"

The low chuckling that followed these new words definitely fully processed, and Sally's eyes finally popped wide open. Her breathing hitched and a tremble went through her. She was still barely able to comprehend why at first, but then…

"Darling, you really do look just ravishing in your new dress, you know." An arm was around her waist and she was pulled close to none other than Jack, still sitting beside her upon the picnic blanket (where apparently they must have dozed off together after dinner, she realized). And his eye sockets…oh his eye sockets…they bore into her eyes with passion and fire, and he had a crafty, evil little smirk upon his skeletal grin that was just…spine-tingling.

"Th-Thank y-you…" Sally barely managed to whisper out in response to his comment about her dress, her lip trembling.

Jack smiled more at the sight of her wide, startled (yet curious) eyes, her unsure lips, her chest rising and falling with quick breaths. His grin widened, his eye sockets narrowed, and his hold on her grew a little snugger. "You're welcome." But then he sighed 'dramatically' and added with a shake of his skull. "But I really must apologize for earlier, Sally, and for only purchasing you such simple shades and patterns of cotton cloth. Of course, your talented hands made your dress stunning, but still you deserve satins, linens, lace…and of course more silks." He winked. "Oh yes, I can see it now, I must get all of them for you in vibrant colors, beckoning colors. The finest cloths…though, of course, none shall ever compare to that finest cloth of all—that which covers and combines every curve of my most delightful dolly." He had their foreheads pressed gently together at this point, and now he just stared into her eyes with excitement and adoration.

Sally couldn't breathe, Sally couldn't think. Was she dreaming again? Yet she could remember that this had indeed been the setting of their date…she in her new dress, the two of them in her little room sitting before the fire. And if this was real, and this was Jack, then… "J-Jack…" Sally's eyes grew hazed, she felt her leaves aflame. Laces and silks…her skin, the finest cloth of all… "J-Jack…" Sally stuttered again, "you said you'd be gentle…th-this time…" was all she managed softly…and she smiled.

Jack's eye sockets lit up and so did his smile! "Ooo, I see my dolly's with me enough to make a little joke. Ah, and she does make a good point. Mustn't have her faint on me again. I missed her so much that time, after all. Yes, dearest one, I'll be gentle…" He took her hand now and placed a single soft kiss upon it and then loosened his hold on her just the tiniest bit to give her some room to breathe.

A touch of something grateful came to Sally's smile, and then a little purplish darkness came to her cheeks. "Thank you." She gulped and then took her hand from his…only to gently reach out and touch his bow tie. "Um…but maybe we can work our way up from 'gentle' later…hmm?" Oh, she knew she was being bold, but what did it matter? If this was a dream, why not indulge a little? And if somehow…if somehow it wasn't…and if somehow the last time Jack had come to her like this hadn't been either…then…then why not? Why stick to meals and pet names and walks in the graveyard? They weren't children, they weren't just friends…and she wanted more, so much more. She wanted this sudden passion between them.

The Jack before her smiled more and more. "Ooo…my Sally has some spunk. I like that. Very well, we'll work our way along as best we can. And thank you for the indulgence, my dearest. After all, no man could truly resist restraining his desires for you for too long." He winked at her and chuckled.

Sally giggled in return and then she let herself reply with… "A-And no woman could truly resist restraining her desires for you either. Believe me, Jack I've been trying, for years and especially lately, and…I…" Oh but she couldn't go on. She looked down in shyness with an eager smile and hid away in her hair.

"Shh…." Jack cooed to her gently, carefully stroking a few strands of hair behind her ear to show more of her face again. "It's all my fault. I'm really the one to blame for your suppression, I just know it. But no longer. Not for tonight at least…"

Sally barely knew what to say, she was so nervous…and yet so happy! So very happy! "I-It's all right. Um…Jack?" he asked shyly.

He nodded. "Yes?"

Her lip trembled again. But as long as she was already being bold… "Hold me?"

Jack, this Jack, despite all of the passion and fire he exuded, smiled softly at the request. "But…I already am holding you, dearest…" he cooed, shifting his arm around her waist a little more.

Sally shook her head though and added softly, looking down. "N-No, I mean…I want you to touch me." Her eyes barely came up to his eye sockets. "Ever since Spiral Hill, you haven't really touched me. I've managed to get some hugs and some handholds from you, and I cherish all of them, Jack, really. But if you really do care for me so much, Jack, I wish you would touch me more." It was a secret desire, and it was all tumbling out of her mouth now. "G-Gently though" she managed to add, "For now, please…Gently." She looked at him so unsurely.

Jack just smiled back at her and nodded in perfect, sweet understanding. "Yes…I will touch you, Sally." He leaned close, nuzzling their foreheads, and whispered near her ear, "Will you touch me in return one day?"

Sally, her leaves all aflutter inside now, nodded. "I will…"

"Thank you." Jack pulled back. He gazed into her eyes again. "Lie down, Sally. Here, on the lovely picnic blanket and our pillows. My dolly has been under so much stress. I'll gently touch her and make it all better."

Body trembling a little, Sally nodded and did her best to lie down, first on her back and then quickly on her stomach and then finally sort of on her side facing the fire, hugging against a pillow. Her chest rose and fell with deep breaths. She remembered all of the things this Jack had said about her body in this 'dream' and the last one, and how open and willing he seemed, and how his feelings for her burned so brightly… "Ah…O-Oh…" Sally half moaned as she felt Jack's hands—particularly his bony yet dexterous fingers—come upon her shoulders as he sat at her side. He started to gently rub.

Jack whispered down to Sally kindly yet passionately as he went along. "I'll be very gentle, Sally. I'll touch you…help you feel better…help you relax. Shh, close your eyes and just enjoy the fire and my touch, fairest creature, from now until dawn…" His touches continued moving around gently over her back.

"O-Oh Jack…" Sally cooed, her eyes starting to close, her whole self tingling with happiness and release. "Mmm…yes…"

"Hmm, and while you rest, how about I quietly whisper to you all the many ways in which I've been in love with you even before I knew you were in love with me—all those silly ways that I always tried to ignore but now can no longer deny?" he asked softly.

Sally nodded eagerly as she snuggled and stretched and melted under Jack's touch and into the coziness of the pillow and blanket underneath herself. "Y-Yes. Tell me please, Jack, I…" She blinked a few times. "Wait…love? Did you say you were in…a-and that you know that I'm in…? Oh Jack, tell me, please…" Her eyes hazed in perfect happiness.

Jack just chuckled and nodded, still touching her. "All right then. Let's start with the moment when we first laid eyes on each other. Well, it was a dark and stormy day…made all the more beautiful by the fact that I was to encounter you for the first time…and then, you see…"

Sally just sunk into deep pleasure from a thousand sources as Jack continued his stories, and as she dozed again this evening she dreamed of bones and cloth.

* * *

**A/N:**

I swear, I apologize for the cliffhangers lol. If it makes it any better, Jack only makes one more visit like this to Sally, and it concludes with a lot more resolution than his first two visits. Next chapter we get to see some more interesting 'morning after' reactions, Jack revisits Valentine Town, and the Doctor and Jewel finally come into the picture. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you again for reading, and please review if you can!

Happy Reading (and Happy Easter/Passover)!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	9. Seeking Sally

[Type text]

**A/N:**

Hi again everyone! Thank you for reading and for your reviews : ) I hope you like this latest installment! I'll try to update every week for the rest of the month if possible, but then things might go back to every other week once it hits May and my work schedule picks up again. Thank you all for your patience though! ^^ Enjoy!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 9:**

**Seeking Sally**

* * *

Jack couldn't explain it, but if he'd thought he had slept supremely last night…boy did he feel like he had slept utterly fantastically tonight! Actually, he was only half awake at the moment, and yet even still he could sense that every bone in his body felt refreshed and invigorated, he didn't have a single kink among his joints, his spine was tingling in the most pleasant way, and his bed had never felt softer, warmer or more inviting. He wrapped himself even more around something—his pillow, he guessed?—and gave a lazy yawn, thoughts starting to form. '_Mmm…if it means I'll sleep this good afterwards, then I'll steal holidays and 'get the girl' more often_…' He grinned and relaxed more amongst the trappings of his 'bed.'

A soft little sound met his ears. "Mmm…" Jack yawned and mumbled, eye sockets still shut. "Zero…I'll be up later to make breakfast. Let me sleep for now…I like it."

A giggle met his ears this time.

"Hmm?" Jack's countenance twitched a little in his slumber. Zero definitely did not make sounds like that. Ugh, was that possibly the doorbell going off then? The 'scream' sound muffled and changed somehow by coming through his shut bedroom door? "Oh, all right, I'll get up…" Jack pouted a little and sighed. "But then I'm coming right back here." He smiled at the idea and gently opened his eye sockets.

Well…this was new. He was so used to his usual view upon waking up—his mantel, his fireplace, his window covered with a dark curtain, the edge of his dresser out of the corner of his gaze.

The view he had now though was, first of all, at floor level…and second of all, the scene he was looking at featured a few burnt logs with glowing embers, the fringe of a soft blanket near the hearth, a window off to the side showing that sunrise had barely started, and a general color scheme that did not suggest his spooky bedroom at all.

Also, he seemed to have his body wrapped _around_ his mattress, which was quite unusual as well.

And then of course Jack suddenly realized he was up in the tower, he was indeed on the floor, and the thing he was all wrapped up around was _Sally_. In fact, she was resting facing away from him while he held her back against his chest, his arms and hands buried along the contours of her body in her pretty silk and cotton dress, her soft yarn hair serving him as a pillow. Sally breathed gently in his grasp, still asleep, and stretched a little. "Oh Jack…yes…" left her in a gentle coo.

Jack's eye sockets went very wide, and for a moment he was just as frozen as could be. Then, gaze a blank, he struggled to remove himself from his hold on Sally (all the while trying hard not to 'accidentally' touch her too much more…which was hard considering he sort of had to push on her hip with one hand in order to get his other hand away from resting upon the warm center of her body since one of his arms had come to gently curl underneath her in the night).

It took a few awkward minutes, but Jack finally got free from his embrace with Sally upon which he laid collapsed on his back on the blanket for a several seconds, panting lightly, eye sockets still wide. He put a hand to his chest to catch his breath…only to realize he was missing his bowtie. He glanced around, but was unable to find it.

And then Sally yawned again as though she might wake up, at which point Jack, lily white in his features, forgot about everything but getting to some form of 'safety' so that he could think about and fully process this situation. He used all of his Pumpkin King stealth to stand up, tiptoe toward the door, tiptoe back over to Sally for a moment (the fire had gone out, and her dress was so thin and light, he couldn't leave her without covering her with a blanket), then tiptoe back over to the door and sneak out of the room, silently closing the door behind him.

Once he heard the click of the door shutting and sealing him off from Sally, Jack dashed down the steps to the living room and then into his own bedroom, closing that door behind him as well.

* * *

Sally woke up sometime later in a perfectly blissful state. She was comfortable, warm, and just felt…practically alive!

She just lay there for a moment in her blankets, eyes closed, lips smiling. What a lovely night… Jack's hands gently gliding over her, his little kisses coming to bare patches of her cloth skin, and his sweetly cooed words about every little feature and action of hers he had ever found attractive…and hopes on his part that one day she might repay his kindness and share her deepest thoughts on what attracted her to him. At one point she even recalled reaching up and slipping his bow tie gently off of his neck—a daydream she had always wanted to try. And he had smiled and said the nimbleness of her fingers with cloth was one of the most attractive features of her he had ever encountered. Oh and most beautiful of all, he had finally told her that he loved her…and Sally's heart had soared.

"Hmm…Jack…" Sally cooed to herself with a giggle. She yawned and turned over under her blanket, finally opening her eyes with a happy smile. "Jack, I—" She blinked…and then sighed with a bit of a dry look. "Oh…no. Really?" She sat up, pulling aside the blanket to look at the distinctly empty place beside her on the floor. "He must be in his own room. But him staying with me last night couldn't have been another dream—could it?" She pouted stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest. Not that the first part of their date last night, the part she was certain had happened (based on the picnic blanket and her dress), hadn't been lovely—eating and drinking together, holding each other by the fire, Jack whispering Halloween stories to her. Yet, was it so wrong to crave what had come next? To crave the passion and the closeness and the attraction shared between them? Sally usually didn't articulate her more extreme thoughts about Jack, but at the moment she couldn't help herself. She loved that man and wanted to be closer with him, she wanted him to be as passionate with her as she knew he could be with holidays and his duties and even his hobbies—and if he was going to keep shying away from her, she was starting to get the feeling that she was just going to grab him by his lapels and show him some passion herself!

By this point in her thoughts, Sally was a little flushed. She gripped her blanket and took in and let out a very deep breath. "Calm down, Sally, it'll be okay. I-I know it's frustrating, but…you can't really blame Jack for not actually doing what your dreams want him to do or for leaving last night after you fell asleep after dinner." She put a hand to her forehead. "Maybe you're just expecting too much from him, which isn't fair. After all, he's only felt this way about you for a few days. Just because you dreamed he was secretly attracted to you in little ways all of the time you've been friends doesn't make it true. And that's not Jack's fault." She took in and let out one more calming breath. "Just give it some more time. At least he's trying. And look on the bright side—at least you get passionate moments like that with him in dreams. And that's something." She tried to smile at this last thought. Yet, still though…if these dreams kept up, she had a feeling they were going to start feeling more like torture than anything else.

Sally sighed and thought out loud more to herself as she stood and started gathering the blankets and pillows to put them back on the sofa. "But…isn't it my own fault, though, if my dreams are bothering me more than I'm enjoying them? If I'd just tell Jack how I feel, what I want…maybe I could have that with him for real? I don't have to push him, and I don't have to tell him about my dreams. I just have to find a way to let him know I'm ready to become a little closer."

Sally smiled more to herself at the idea. Okay, she would work up her courage and talk to him. "Ah…" She yawned and stretched, her sofa back to its normal state, and then started gathering together the picnic items. "In the meantime, I'll finish cleaning up and then go downstairs and start making Jack and me a nice breakfast. That'll be a nice way for both of us to start the day." She nodded to herself and hummed a happy little tune as she proceeded to prepare her room and herself for the fresh, new day.

In her distraction, Sally didn't noticed Jack's tie still on her floor, tucked just under her little sofa.

* * *

Sally pranced happily down the stairs a little while later in her familiar patchwork dress, her frustrations of her dream already forgotten in her eagerness to start the day with another meal with her dearest Jack. "I'll make us a breakfast just as lovely as the one he made for us yesterday," she whispered to herself in excitement. But then as she moved across the living room, she caught the scent of something delicious already prepared. Sally smiled in interest and giggled. "Jack," she called out as she approached the kitchen entrance, "I'm sorry I slept in late. Did you cook breakfast for us already? It smells wonderful!" Sally entered the doorway, fully prepared to see a few platters of food on the counter and Jack standing before the stove (possibly with a 'Kiss the Cook' apron on which she would have taken full advantage of), and he would have greeted her and then they would have gone off to the dining room together for the morning.

However, instead her eyes met an empty kitchen save for a lovely large silver platter on the counter bearing several covered plates of food and a glass of sour orange juice as well as a small vase with a dried flower in it and a little folded up note leaning against the vase that merely read on the outside in flourished, black, unmistakable script '_Sally_.'

Sally pouted at first. No Jack? Then she sighed and walked toward the platter, managing to smile a little. "But still, another note is nice. I wonder what this one says." Sally plucked up the note and unfolded it. Inside was Jack's unmistakable royal handwriting, and his unmistakable perfect wording of what he had to say.

_Dearest Sally,_

_Good morning, my darling. I apologize a thousand times over for not being here to join you for breakfast. I hope the small spread I made you will at least be a start towards making up for my absence. I just had to go somewhere, to visit…sort of an advisor of mine. I know it's sudden, I know I should have waited until you awoke so that I could have said goodbye to you, but I just wanted to get an early start so that I could return to you as soon as possible. I promise, I'll be back before you know it._

_Also, I would like to discuss something with you about our date last night when I return._

_As always, your devoted admirer,_

_~Jack Skellington_

_P.S._

_If you would like a breakfast companion, just whistle. _

Even despite her slight disappointment at having to breakfast alone, Sally couldn't help a soft smile at his words and a fluttering of her leaves. He wrote to her so eloquently, so caringly, and with so much sincerity. And she knew he wouldn't have left unless he'd had some truly important matter to attend to. _'Still, I wonder who his 'advisor' is?'_ Indeed, Sally couldn't understand why Jack wouldn't just say the person's name since they both knew everyone in town. _'Maybe he was just tired or in a rush though and didn't think about mentioning who it was,_' Sally speculated, and instantly her curiosity on the matter dropped as her attention returned to the final part of the note and her smile picked up on one side. "If I want a companion, I should just whistle. Hmm?" She glanced up and then tucked the note into her dress pocket, put two fingers in her mouth, and blew a light, clear tone.

"Arf! Arf!" Instantly a distant barking was heard, and Zero soon floated right through the wall and into the room, fresh from his tombstone and eager to greet his master's fun new pretty ragdoll roommate with kisses and nuzzles.

Sally giggled at his affections and patted him on the head. "Oh good morning, Zero, you're a wonderful breakfast companion to have!" She smiled and then picked up the tray, walking into the dining room with it as Zero followed her. "I hope you slept well," she remarked, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Zero nodded. "Rrr…" he cooed gently in a bark, raising one of his eyebrows.

Sally giggled and nodded, setting down the tray on the table and taking a seat. "Oh yes, I slept well too. It's very peaceful here, Zero. I really like living with you and Jack." Sally removed the plate covers to reveal Jack's breakfast for her. "Ooo…" He had prepared her pumpkin pancakes with poisonberry syrup, yogurt with black bananas, a dark chocolate danish, and of course there was a glass full of sour orange juice.

Zero flew to rest at the center of the table, and Sally smiled and used her fork to give one of her pumpkin pancakes to Zero. "There you go, boy. I could never eat all of this by myself anyway."

"Arf!" Zero beamed and eagerly started eating the pancake.

Sally giggled and started in on her food. "Mmm…" She sighed. "Oh I don't know why Jack keeps insisting on complimenting my cooking skills so much. He's just as talented at preparing things as I am. These are delicious." Her smile grew a little dreamy. '_And he took the time to make them all for me_…' Sally giggled at the idea. But then, thinking of Jack, her thoughts turned back to his note and she looked to Zero. "Zero…I'm guessing you have an idea of where Jack went this morning. You wouldn't be allowed to tell me this time where that is, would you?" She looked to him hopefully.

Zero blinked at her question, then looked up at Sally with a touch of distress, then looked down with a guilty little pout at his remaining half of a pancake.

Sally sighed but nodded and smiled in understanding, almost having expected such a response. "It's okay, Zero. If Jack didn't want you to say anything, you don't have to tell me. I know he's your best friend—please don't feel bad. But can you at least promise me that he's safe, Zero?"

Zero's eyes went back up to her. He paused for just a moment longer but then finally flew up to her and gave her a little assuring kiss on the cheek.

Sally smiled at the gesture. But she had to raise an eyebrow. "You hesitated again, Zero. Does that mean Jack's going to the same place he was last time? And are you really sure he's okay, Zero?" The last question was asked with just a touch of worry this time.

Zero nodded to her first question and nuzzled her softly in response to her second question. He wanted to let her know that he at least _believed_ his master was safe where he was.

But Zero really did wish Jack would come back soon. His master hadn't told him directly that he was heading off to the holiday forest again this morning. But Zero, in the graveyard in the early morning with the other ghosts, had caught sight of his master dashing in the direction of the hinterlands and knew where he must be heading. And though he did trust his master's judgment very much, Zero still harbored a great deal of concern over the soundness of Jack's compulsion to leave behind his own world for another one yet again no matter how temporarily and no matter what the circumstances. Jack belonged with Sally, and Zero wished he would stay close to her, especially after all they had been through lately.

* * *

"Ow!"

It wasn't the landing itself that hurt when a person went through the heart-shaped holiday door and dropped into the large field of Valentine Town roses…it was just the thorns! Always a person seemed to fall near some of them, and always those thorns managed to smart anyone who came in contact with them. And though Jack was virtually indestructible (which meant he was virtually pain free most of the time), a well-placed prick against one of his bones or joints could always make him wince. As the Pumpkin King stood up now, dusting rose petals off of himself (and plucking a few thorns out of his trousers), he had to smile as he recalled Sally's one little pinprick to his hand during his Sandy Claws suit fitting before Christmas, and how that single pinprick had made him say 'ow.' Thinking about it now, he realized that pinprick had also made his phantom heart skip a beat in a way. Almost no one could ever manage to find a vulnerability in his solid bone exterior, yet Sally had come upon one in such an accidental way with her nimble needle, and somehow her accomplishment had impressed and intrigued him and stuck with him deeply.

Jack chuckled at the idea as he straightened his tie now. It was the first time he had smiled all morning actually. "I needed that…" He sighed to himself, and then he turned his sights towards Valentine Town and proceeded briskly in that direction.

Indeed, Jack's morning, in fact, mostly had been filled with varying degrees of distress and uncertainty—no smiles at all. Not that he hadn't woken up feeling fantastic, but still there was the circumstance of…well… Jack sighed to himself and mumbled softly. "I spent the night with her. The last thing I remember is telling her some more old Halloween legends while we started eating dessert, and then I guess I fell asleep and…I spent the night with her." He swallowed. "What if she's upset with me? What if she wasn't ready for that? What if _I _wasn't ready for that? Not that anything happened…" he blanched, "But still, we…" He sighed again. "Why is it so easy to get so close with her? Should it really be this natural? Should things really be able to move so quickly? Can I really want her so much after only a few days together, or am I just getting carried away again like I did with Christmas?" Jack looked down and shook his skull as he approached the town gate. "I just need some advice. I hope Flora's around. I have a feeling she's the best person to talk to around here…except for maybe the holiday leader of course."

As Jack entered Valentine Town (and did his best to keep to the side streets and out of people's sights), he considered some more. "Come to think of it, I haven't met the King yet. I wonder what he's like." He raised an eyebrow. "I guess he's like everyone else here…except since I'm the scariest one in Halloween town, he must be the most loving and romantic person here." Jack's look went a little dry. "If I was still into stealing holidays, I might very well consider taking this one if it would mean I'd get to spend a few weeks as the type of person who could woo Sally properly without anymore problems."

Jack sighed and shook his head at the notion with a small smile. "Oh well. I'm sure I'll work it out for myself. But maybe I can get some advice from the leader at some point if he's available. In the meantime though, I know Flora can certainly assist me. But how to find her…?" Jack puzzled to himself for a moment, glancing around at all of the citizens. He really didn't want to ask anybody about her—he felt that the less attention he brought to himself the better (and he didn't want anybody giggling at the 'love' for Sally they could see inside of him again). "Hmm…" Jack considered, "Well…the first time I met her she was near Lovers Lane. I suppose I could try near there again." And with a nod to himself, Jack proceeded in the direction of the familiar location (and tried not to blanch and smile too much at the idea of all the affectionate couples he was certain to see when he arrived).

Jack soon went through the golden archway marking Lovers Lane and found himself at the start of the lovely park full of couples again. He glanced around for a moment, and then headed in the direction of the clearing where he had last seen Flora, ready to gently call out her name as a start to his search.

Fortunately, the person he was searching for found him first.

"Someone is looking for me…And, ah, it is you, Jack Skellington." The familiar voice of Jack's new friend said these words, and then Flora stepped forward from a flowerbed between two trees lining the path, smiling with interest at the Pumpkin King as she gracefully approached. She was wearing her rich, red robes again and her prism eyes were full of interest.

Jack blinked, quite surprised at her sudden appearance to say the least. "Oh, hello, Flora. I, erm…I'm sorry, it's a pleasure to see you again, and I'm glad I found you so quickly, but how exactly did you know I was looking for you?" he asked hesitantly and curiously.

Flora shrugged and looked down, hands gently clasped together. "Well, Jack, just like I'm sure you can sense 'fear' in your subjects and in all other beings, I sense 'desire' in others, romantic or friendly, and especially when that desire regards me," she replied simply. She looked up at Jack with a curious little smile, glancing around him. "Oh dear, no Sally with you? I was hoping by now you would have figured out that you're both madly in love with each other and you would have brought her here to spend some time on Lovers Lane together."

Jack blanched distinctly and looked down. "Flora, please…I-I told you, I just care for her at the moment. Being in love isn't quite for us right now."

"Oh, I was just kidding, Jack, I promise you." Flora assured. Then she added, an eyebrow raised, "Still though, I am surprised to see you so soon. After all, it must be terribly hard to pull yourself away from someone you care for so much and who cares for you in return." She smiled, her eyes glowing a little more.

Jack smiled. "Oh, it's no problem at all, Flora, really. And, yes, I came by myself..." He looked down with a little frown and nodded, "And yes, it is hard to leave Sally. Very hard. But I think that might be part of my problem, actually…" He swallowed and sighed, walking over to a log set on the ground between two trees and sitting down.

Flora followed after him and took a seat beside him. "If you're having a problem, Jack, and you want to talk about it, I would be happy to listen and give you any assistance I can. It would be an honor to help the Pumpkin King." She smiled so compassionately at him.

Jack smiled back at her. "I'd like that, Flora, thank you." He looked forward again and took a deep breath…but then hesitated. Jack cleared his throat, smiling a little sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Flora, it's just that this is a little strange for me. I'm not used to opening up to other people. And we barely know each other. And I'd be opening up to you about something so private."

Flora smiled softly. "There's no pressure, Jack. But if I could make a point…you need someone to talk to, and as a leader I'd imagine you'd feel strange and possibly guilty about talking to one of your subjects so frankly." She glanced forward and shrugged. "Everyone needs you to be very strong and very confident so that they can feel good about your holiday…I'm assuming. And now you at least have Sally to talk to, but if you're having a problem 'about' Sally, then your options are limited again. At least here, no one's relying on you or expecting you to be a certain way, so you can express your doubts and get honest advice from someone who doesn't need you to be their king and who just wants to be your friend." She glanced back at him, her smile warmer.

Jack blinked and looked back at her with surprise and interest. "Yes…Yes, that's it exactly. You've captured it all perfectly." He smiled again. "I'm very happy I met you, Flora. Thank you for taking the time to help me and for being so understanding."

Flora nodded. "It's not a problem at all, Jack."

Jack smiled more. "One day, when Sally and I feel a little closer and there's time, I'd like to bring her here to meet you. I think she'd like getting to know you very much. I know I have."

Flora beamed a little. "I would be honored to meet her, Jack. I could use a few 'outer world' friends myself. Believe me, you're just as good for me as I am for you." She laughed softly and then her prism eyes glowed with interest again. "Now, Jack, enough stalling—please tell me what's troubling you so much."

Jack nodded and sighed. "Well, I'm not sure, but I think I'm either making things with Sally move too quickly…or I'm not making things move quickly enough. And something happened last night, and…" He sighed again. "Women just make me very unsure of myself. Sally's wonderful, but you should have seen what I've been dealing with all of these years before her." He rolled his eyes. "Every other female in my town would literally chase after me through the streets in a mob each Halloween night telling me how much they adored me. It always made me so uncomfortable, and I suppose I just never learned how a real relationship is supposed to work or what I'm supposed to do when I'm the one pursuing someone instead of the one fleeing as I'm being pursued." He frowned a little. "I don't want to overwhelm Sally and make her 'flee'…and I also want to give her everything she deserves and wants. I'm just having trouble finding a balance between those two things. And last night's date didn't help." He brought a hand to his temple.

"Jack, you're putting too much pressure on yourself," Flora instantly assured. "Sally cares for you, trust me…I know about these things. And she sounds like a strong and understanding woman who wouldn't just give up on you for not being 'perfect.' I think she's much more capable of enduring for the sake of your relationship than you're giving her credit for. Has she ever given you any reason to doubt that she would be willing to fight for her passions and dreams and hopes?"

Jack lowered his hand and shook his skull. "No…In fact, if anything, she's given me every reason to believe that if she cares about something or someone enough, she'll do everything in her power to keep caring for them no matter what obstacles she faces—the expectations of the rest of the town or a monster bent on destroying me or even my own pigheadedness." He shook his head. "She saved me and Santa much more on Christmas Eve than I saved either one of them. She cared for me enough to risk her life." He smiled a little. "You're right, of course, Flora. I know she won't think of ending our courtship just because it's not perfect and sometimes I'm uncertain." He frowned a little again (and blanched just slightly). "But still, last night…"

"What exactly happened last night, Jack?" Flora asked with a little half smile, trying to sound patient though she clearly suspected whatever it was wasn't nearly as awful as Jack was building it up to be.

Jack blanched and looked down a little more. "Last night we had a date up in her room—she's been staying in a tower attached to my house. Anyway, it was late…and she was dressed so beautifully…and we'd shared a lovely meal and a bottle of wine…and then I was telling her stories by the fire, and we just…fell asleep together." Despite his look of hesitance before, Jack couldn't help smiling softly now, his eye sockets hazing. "I woke up at dawn warm with her in my arms…" He sighed and swallowed and blinked, and quickly finished, "And then I snuck away, made her breakfast, and snuck off here."

Flora's eyes lit up a little. She looked a touch impressed actually. "Oh that sounds like a delightful date!" Her smile relaxed and she spoke more gently. "Why in the world would any of that be a problem, Jack?"

Jack blinked, looking at her with wide eye sockets. "I…I invaded her privacy! I stayed in her room with her all night on a second date. Things went so quickly, but it felt so natural, so right. And I don't think I've ever slept better in my entire existence than I did with her." His dreamy grin returned but then quickly gave way to a frown of doubt. "I have no idea what to say to her about it though. She didn't wake up when I woke up to leave, but she's certainly going to realize what happened. What if she didn't like it…or what if she did like it?" He blanched a little again and shrugged. "I'm not really sure how to handle this whole thing, heh…" He smiled a little sheepishly, pulling his knees in a little closer to himself.

Flora just sighed and thought for a moment. She started slowly. "Jack, did Sally seem comfortable in your arms when you woke up this morning?"

Jack's blanching flooded his entire skull. He was recalling those few words that had escaped her this morning in her sleep. 'Oh Jack…yes…' He nodded. "Yes. She seemed more than comfortable actually."

Flora smiled a little more. "And do you remember her being comfortable being close to you last night before you fell asleep?"

Jack nodded again, smiling a little more. "Oh yes. I remember her cuddling up alongside me and listening to the stories I was telling her and asking questions." He chuckled. "And then she got a crumb of cake on her nose, and I brushed it off and she giggled, and she called me her silly skeleton and I called her my delightful dolly, and then we cuddled close and we…" He blinked a few times and cleared his throat shyly. "Erm…I mean, yes, we were quite happy last night."

Flora giggled softly. "And just one more question—have you been eating any of those candies I gave you?"

Jack nodded, glancing to Flora. "Oh yes. I had a few just before the date started actually." He smiled. "They're quite delicious—they have the strangest combination of flavors, but it's very soothing too. I've enjoyed them."

Flora's smile grew. "Then there's nothing to worry about, Jack. All of this comfort and affection is a perfectly natural progression for you and Sally. It doesn't mean you're going too fast, it doesn't mean you have to feel pressured now to move things along even more quickly. It just means things are changing between the two of you, even if those changes can take a while for you or Sally to get used to." Her gaze warmed. "Now, Jack…do you really think when you go home that Sally's going to be upset with you for last night?"

Jack smiled a little and shook his skull, looking down. "No, I don't. I think maybe she'll feel like I do actually, come to think of it. Unsure but…happy." He looked up.

Flora nodded. "I think that's a very wise guess, Jack."

Jack chuckled and looked out over the landscape for a moment with all the pretty pastel colors and all the lovers and people in bright robes. "I think I understand why there's a holiday all about love, Flora. It's absolutely necessary to have one. No one could handle being in love without traditions and history and culture all about the subject to help guide them." He glanced at Flora. "And of course the good advice from a good friend is helpful too."

Flora nodded. "You're very welcome for any assistance I can give, Jack Skellington. And thank you for the company of a new friend."

Jack smiled and nodded, but then hesitated for a moment. "Still though, when I go home I'd at least like to bring up the subject of what happened last night and apologize to Sally just in case I did make her feel uncomfortable at all."

"Follow your feelings, Jack Skellington," Flora assured. "If they've led you to Sally, I doubt they'll steer you wrong from here on out."

Jack nodded, looking out to the couples again. "Flora…you said some of the people here have only been together a few days, but they've found their true loves so…they're already in love. Is it really possible to truly fall in love so quickly?"

"Oh I know it is, Jack," Flora encouraged with a sigh and a nod, looking out to the couples as well. "Take my word for it." She smiled more. "There aren't any rules for determining when a person falls in love and when that love is true, Jack. It's just something you know inside of yourself, and that your lover will know too. It's a deep and beautiful feeling, and it can bloom after years together or even a single moment. You do have to put in work, of course, to make sure your relationship based upon that love flourishes, but if you really care for a person then making the effort doesn't feel much like work at all. It's a joy. Life's no fun without a bit of love, after all."

Jack smiled more and almost chuckled, glancing at her again. "Is that a phrase you live by around here?"

Flora smiled gently and nodded. "Yes. I'm guessing you have a similar phrase you live by in Halloween Town."

"Oh, something like that." Jack chuckled again, and then he rubbed the back of his neck and asked, "Flora…not that I don't enjoy your own company immensely but, may I ask…would it be possible for me to meet your holiday leader sometime soon? Perhaps after your holiday, since Valentine's Day is so close? I really would like to learn as much about your world as possible."

Flora blinked but then her smile grew and her prism eyes brightened. "Of course, Jack, we'd love for you to meet our leader. But, yes, after the holiday might be best." She sighed, smiling more. "You're not the only leader who gets a little overwhelmed when the 'big day' comes each year—right now I'd imagine our leader is lounging about amongst the flowers somewhere trying to just enjoy the spirit of the holiday like a normal citizen before the next decorating meeting or parade planning presentation."

Jack laughed a little and nodded. "I know the feeling. Still, he must be a very great leader for your land to be full of such happy people."

Flora blinked. "He?" Then she grinned a little more, tried not to laugh, and nodded to Jack. "Oh, er…yes, well, we don't like to brag but, we do have one of the most excellent holiday leaders around if I do say so myself, present company excluded of course." She nodded toward Jack.

Jack smiled and nodded back to her in appreciation. "Of course. Well, as long as no one really is holding the Christmas thing against me, I really will be looking forward to meeting your leader and the leaders from the other holiday worlds as well."

Flora smiled and nodded. "We'll have to look into setting up in inter-holiday meeting then sometime soon—perhaps late summer. I believe we all have a break around then. And I—" Flora paused and her prism eyes glowed a little. Then she sighed deeply a dry look coming to her face. "And now someone else is looking for me…" She grinned a little again, rolling her eyes, "And boy is she unhappy." She chuckled.

Jack raised an eyebrow but then stood. "Of course, Flora, I'm sure you and everyone else around here must have much to do today with your holiday coming up so soon. And I should get back to Sally now anyway." He held out his hand to assist her.

Flora took it and stood up. "Yes, I'm afraid I'm rather late for something actually. You can find your way back to the holiday forest on your own?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"Very good, then. But before you go…" Flora reached into the fold of her red robe and produced another little satchel for Jack, "A few more candies. Since you've enjoyed them so much so far, I think they might help you, Jack. As I said, they have a very relaxing effect on most people and can really let you embrace the spirit of love."

Jack took the satchel from her and placed it into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Flora." He waved and then turned to head out of the Lovers Lane area. "Have a splendid day!"

"And have a lovely rest of your morning, Jack Skellington! And if you need any more advice, you know where to find me! Goodbye!" Flora called out to him, waving as he left.

Thankfully, Jack was out of sight just as Marigold came along from the other end of Lover's Lane, a clipboard in hand, her gold robes a little tousled as she briskly walked along, and a determined look upon her features. "Queen Cupidity Amora Flora, so help me…" she sighed and shook her head as she approached a grinning Flora, "One of these days I'm going to leave you to take care of your own schedule, and when Valentine's Day isn't ready to go until JULY 14th, do not come crying to me." She stood before her red robed leader, tapping her foot, her pale blue eyes tilted above her rose half moon glasses.

Flora shrugged. "Oh come on, Mari, I have at least a good two minutes before I need to be at the flower committee meeting you scheduled for me. And besides, I was here for a very good cause."

Marigold sighed, calming down a little but her look and tone still dry. "Helping matchmake for the dead again?"

Flora laughed warmly. "Oh but they're such a lovely couple, Marigold. You know, our Pumpkin King is going to bring by his lady friend soon for a visit. I think they're relationship is really working out." She sighed, stretching out her hand to admire it. "I know, I know, it's a gift."

Marigold smiled and shook her head. "If this blows up in your face sometime right before our holiday, just so you know I am not cleaning up the mess for you."

"Are you kidding?" Flora grinned. "If anything happens, I'll insist on cleaning up the mess _myself_! It'll give me a perfect excuse to go to Halloween Town." She winked.

Marigold scoffed and really smiled now. "Oh, you think I'd actually consider letting you leave this town any time in the next six weeks? Please, Flora, I am going to be watching you like a hawk."

"Dove!" Flora supplied as she started to walk forward toward the City Hall. "Let's keep with the theme of the holiday after all."

Mari sighed deeply, coming to walk beside her (and giving her a little nudge) as she proceeded to write some things on her clipboard. "Don't push it, Heart Queen." She grinned a little, and Flora did too. Then Mari sighed and smiled. "Now, let's get on with the day's tasks so that we can get through the next six weeks and I can get to my two week vacation after that. And while I'm gone, feel free to get into all of the matchmaking nonsense you want to."

"Okay, but when you come back to find everyone in all of the holiday worlds paired off, don't complain to me." Flora laughed, and Mari couldn't help but laugh along with her.

The two ladies continued along to the town hall.

* * *

As Jack quickly darted through the trees and side streets of Valentine Town, he gently touched against his pocket containing the fresh satchel of candies and smiled to himself. Though he still felt sorry for having to leave Sally this morning in his nervousness, he really was happy he had come here and gotten to talk to Flora. He felt a lot better, a lot more grounded…still uncertain about some things, but confident that everything would work itself out in the end.

Jack nodded to himself as he found the path to lead him through the rose fields and to the holiday forest. And as he went along through the fields, he plucked up a rose of particular beauty every now and again to make into a splendid morning bouquet for Sally. He inhaled their scent gently through his nose. So rich, so complex, so attractive… "Just like the woman they're for…" Jack blanched a little…but then decided, with his newfound confidence, to present the bouquet to Sally using just those words. _'A bouquet of the finest roses…so rich, so complex, so attractive…just like the woman they're for. Here you are, my most delightful dolly…_' Jack chuckled goofily to himself. Oh yes, that seemed like a lovely way to say good morning.

Jack continued his jaunt through the many colors of roses, doing his best to reach the Halloween door and return to his Sally as quickly as possible.

* * *

_Meanwhile, back in Halloween Town…in a certain laboratory manor…_

"Ahh, yes, my precious Jewel…a nice brain massage is just what I needed." A grinning Dr. Finkelstein was relaxing back in his wheelchair in his lab with his cranium open as Jewel gently massaged his half of their brain.

"Of course, Doctor, anything I can do to help. After all, you must have been under so much stress lately—creating me and creating all of those reindeer for Christmas and having them all get destroyed. You just relax, please, and after this I'll make you some tea." Jewel smiled kindly. She really liked her creator very much, and she noticed the kinder and more affectionate she was to him, the kinder and more affectionate he was in return. And that relationship made her sense something good inside of herself. It was hard for her to place what the 'goodness' was though exactly unfortunately. Her half of their brain seemed better at processing calculations and logic rather than 'feelings,' as the Doctor might put those other things that she assumed most people (the Doctor included) could process, but that seemed beyond her grasp.

Dr. Finkelstein sighed in peace and pleasure at her comforting words. "Hmm…Oh yes, so much creating. I'll need such a rest to be ready for Halloween." The Doctor sighed again, but then suddenly knit in his brow and let a snarl come into his lip. "Jewel…still no sign of that other girl yet…Sally?"

Jewel blinked and then frowned and shook her head. "No, Doctor, I'm sorry. It's too bad too. I would really like to meet her. I…well, she's your creation, and I'm your creation…I think it would be nice to talk to her. But no, I'm sorry Doctor, I still haven't seen any sign her."

"Mmm…" A little grumble of frustration escaped the Doctor. "Frustrating girl. Probably half dead again with cold, living in a snow bank…Foolish creature."

Jewel frowned more, still lightly massaging the Doctor's brain. "I hope not, Doctor. It would be unfortunate if something happened to her. I really hope it hasn't." Jewel bit her lip. She knew something, and she had to tell the Doctor, but she was unsure of how he would respond.

The Doctor just huffed gruffly back to her for now, eyes still closed. "If anything does happen to Sally, it's her own fault. I told her before that it was dangerous out there. She probably lost her leg in a briar patch and now can't hobble her way back here or something. But she'll come back…she always does." He smiled to himself in satisfaction…or tried to.

Jewel swallowed and then spoke up quietly if directly (her tone was always direct and logical, as were her thoughts, even regarding delivering news like this). "Doctor? When you sent me out to gather supplies for you this morning, I overheard the Mayor saying something to some of the other citizens. Something about Sally."

"Hmm?" the Doctor asked nonchalantly. "Yes, and what is that, my Jewel?" He still seemed the picture of relaxation.

Jewel took a breath and replied as she continued to massage his brain half. "Oogie Boogie caught Sally on Christmas Eve night. He was going to do bad things to her. Jack saved her and that Santa Claus man, and then the Mayor and the three trick-or-treaters came to bring them back to town, but nobody's seen Sally since then. The Mayor can't even remember for certain if Sally was in the car with them, he was so distracted with Jack being safe. I…I'm sorry, Doctor." Jewel frowned. Poor Sally… Jewel didn't know what an 'Oogie Boogie' was, but it didn't sound nice. She moved closer to the Doctor—she always felt safe near him. He could create life, and she respected and admired him for his skill. She really did like his presence very much.

The Doctor didn't respond for a few moments, and it made Jewel very nervous. "Um…Doctor? Are you all right?" she finally prompted.

Dr. Finkelstein sat up straighter now in his chair. Jewel glanced over his shoulder, and she could see his eyes darting back and forth behind his dark glasses in thought. "Oogie Boogie…what…why would she…Oogie Boogie…" he whispered to himself. Then the Doctor faintly addressed Jewel. "And no one has seen her since then, you say?"

Jewel took her hands away from his brain. She shook her head and replied softly. "No, Doctor. Not since then. Nobody."

The Doctor turned around in his wheelchair, his cranium snapping shut. "Jewel this is very bad. Listen to me very carefully. We have to go into town and get the Mayor to call a town meeting. Then we have to go get Jack Skellington. I want you to stay close by me the whole time, Jewel. I'm not sure where Sally is now exactly, but we have to find her. It's almost impossible to really kill someone from Halloween Town, so Oogie Boogie may still have some power, and if Sally's still down there in that lair…" The Doctor bit his lip and frowned. "She's not such a bad girl, just…so restless. Sally…" He was quiet for a moment and then looked up at Jewel again, speaking plainly and firmly once more. "You don't know what that thing could do to her—Oogie Boogie is a monster, and I would never wish him on anybody. Help me, my precious Jewel. Sally is my creation—I have to make sure that she's just run off again and nothing else."

Jewel frowned and clasped her hands together, nodding. "Of course, Doctor, anything to help her. If Sally's trapped by Oogie Boogie I want her to be free, and if Sally's just trapped down there by herself I don't want her to be alone." Jewel's lip trembled. She felt so new to life, she couldn't imagine suddenly being off all alone in the cold and possibly with a dangerous monster about. Sure, Sally had been around a bit longer than she herself had, but not by much. No matter how 'restless' Sally might be, no one could like to be all alone. Besides, she really did want to know Sally—perhaps they could all be friends? Jewel looked to Dr. Finkelstein. "I'll take you to the Mayor right now, Doctor."

Dr. Finkelstein nodded. Jewel then took the back handles of his chair and started to wheel him to the door. "Doctor…?" she asked softly as they came outside and headed down the winding drive leading to the road to town.

"Hmm?" he grunted in return, his thoughts obviously occupied.

Jewel frowned again. "If this world can be so scary and so dangerous like you say, then why would Sally leave the manor? Why would she be…restless?"

The Doctor was quiet, and then he sighed as they went along. "I don't know, my Jewel. I don't think she was ever happy here. I made her too different from me. We just couldn't get along. She wanted to go, but she was mine…and she didn't have any place to go anyway. I didn't know what to do. I hoped it was a phase…" He sighed again and added quietly, "…Maybe it wasn't though. Maybe it was just…how she is…who she is." He shook his head, voice growing gruff again. "I don't know, never understood her…"

Jewel just nodded. Sally sounded different…but interesting, and like a good person at heart.

"Are _you_ happy here so far, Jewel?"

Jewel blinked as the soft question from the Doctor met her ears. "Oh…well, I…I find satisfaction in my place here, yes, Doctor. I like my room and your house and learning about science and being your pre—…your Jewel…" She smiled. She almost didn't want to say aloud the 'precious' part for fear it might embarrass him and he would never call her that anymore. She cleared her throat and went on. "You gave me half of your mind, and you're so brilliant, and it's just so very nice to be a part of our home and to have the chance to help you in there and out here."

Dr. Finkelstein considered and then nodded. "Very good…Let's just hope that that's how you truly end up liking to be." He rubbed his cranium a little.

Jewel blinked but smiled. "Oh, that is how I like to be, Doctor. I like my time with you…I like you, Doctor."

"Hmm mm!" Dr. Finkelstein nervously cleared his throat.

Jewel just smiled softly, unable to help it.

"I like you as well, Jewel…my precious Jewel…" then came to her ears softly. Then Dr. Finkelstein cleared his throat gruffly again and added, "N-Now, um…on to the Mayor and then Jack so that we can find out what happened to Sally."

Jewel just beamed and all but pranced along as they turned toward the Mayor's house. That 'good' sensation was inside of her again. "Of course, Doctor! The Mayor and then Jack Skellington! Oh I'm looking forward so very much to meeting the Pumpkin King! No one's seen him much since Christmas either, but I'm sure he must be in his house just resting from everything, and I'm sure he'll be able to help us find Sally once and for all!"

"I hope so, Jewel…" Dr. Finkelstein sighed as the Mayor's gate came into sight. "I hope so…"

And soon the search for Sally would be commencing.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! Next chapter, Sally quickly discovers that the Doctor is interested in finding her again, which complicates things for our favorite couple and briefly puts on hold Sally's plans to talk about their relationship. I hope you guys like it, and please review if you can :) Thank you!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	10. Oh What a Tangled Web We Sew

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! I hope you enjoy this latest update, and thank you all again for reading and for your reviews : ) I'm a little sick right now, and I'm working full time again soon, so after this updates will probably be closer to once every two weeks again I'm afraid. Thanks for all of your patience ^^

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 10:**

**Oh What a Tangled Web We Sew…**

* * *

Sally giggled and held out another freshly cleaned and dried plate to her ghostly dog companion as she and Zero stood before the sink together in Jack's kitchen. "Thank you for putting away the clean dishes for me, Zero. I think Jack will be very happy to see that we've cleaned everything up from breakfast when he gets back, and that we made him a plate." Sally glanced behind her with a smile toward the dining room. And indeed on the long table sat a single covered breakfast plate with a glass of sour orange juice beside it. Sally had left behind two of her pumpkin pancakes for Jack as well as some of the mashed black banana. And to add to the meal she had quickly prepared some pumpkin bread which she then sliced up and covered with a 'wormswart, black sugar' glaze before adding it to the plate. In addition, leaned up against the glass of juice was a little folded piece of paper bearing the name 'Jack' on the outside in her own small script with a little flourish underneath it. The paper was bent at the half way point, displaying his name on one half on the outside, while the inside bore a little breakfast poem Sally had written for Jack as a sort of thank you for all of his kind letters to her so far. Sally giggled and blushed a little at the thought of the poem and then turned back to dry the last dish. "I hope Jack comes back soon, Zero. I'd like to talk to him about some things."

"Arf, Arf!" Zero nodded in agreement, taking the last dish from her to put into the cupboard.

Sally smiled and stretched up, setting down the dishtowel. "There, all done…" Letting out a sigh of satisfaction, she turned and glanced around the kitchen…Jack's kitchen…small and cozy and a little spooky and full of the faint glow of orangey pumpkin sunlight streaming through a dusty window. She loved this room so much. Sally giggled and took a step forward and then another, then completed a little turn, closing her eyes. "Oh it would be so nice. Every morning waking up together and eating breakfast. Hmm, hmm, hmm…" she hummed to herself as she did her little dance around the kitchen and sang softly, "_And does he notice…my feelings for him_…" She gave another little twirl. "Yes, he must notice, and I'll talk to him when he gets home, and then no more secrets between us," she finished, leaning back against the counter and giggling to herself again.

_KNOCK KNOCK, SCREAM!_

Sally suddenly froze, her eyes wide and something dropping in the pit of the leaves in her stomach. And all of those thoughts of worry that had crossed her mind her first morning here when someone had knocked and rang instantly came flooding back. _'Who's at the door? I can't answer the door! Should I answer the door? What would someone say if I answered the door? What if it's the Mayor? What if it's the Doctor? But what if it's someone else? Or what if it's just Jack using the doorbell and knocking again? But why would he do that again?_'

_KNOCK KNOCK, SCREAM!_

Torn between all of these considerations (and aware that her ghost dog companion was watching her with confusion as she continued to not answer the door), Sally turned to Zero and made a quiet motion by putting a finger over her lips. Then she beckoned him to follow her. Sally got down low and crept stealthily along through the kitchen and dining room, keeping to the walls. Once she reached the living room she made sure to stay very low and keep away from the windows, and by now Zero had already turned invisible behind her to help with her stealth. Sally inched herself close to a corner of a window and tried to peek out to see who might be out there, but she couldn't get a proper view without whoever might be out there seeing her as well. So instead Sally just waited and listened, hoping that whoever was out there would say something that would let her know who they were. And seriously hoping that it was just Jack being shy again.

_KNOCK KNOCK_

"Hello? Um…I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude, but…is the Pumpkin King home at all? Mr. Jack Skellington? It's very important."

Sally blinked, her expression curious. She did not recognize that Halloween Town voice at all. It was a girl, a woman. But not the witches…And the corpse wife didn't talk much…Under Sea Gal, maybe? No, no, Undersea Gal had a touch of something deeper in her voice. This was simple, polite, straightforward if a little cool at the same time. She continued to listen intently.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have come so early. Maybe you're asleep? Oh dear, now I hope I haven't woken you up." Whoever she was, she sounded a little distressed at this idea. Her voice quieted now, as though she was talking to herself. "It would be very efficient to have him join us, but socially a king mustn't be disturbed—I'll really have to research more about etiquette if I'm going to be meeting new people like this."

The sincerity and lack of hostility in this woman's tone was so apparent that Sally couldn't help nearly giving in to the compulsion to stand up and answer the door and explain to her that everything was all right and she really wasn't bothering anybody. In fact, Sally could already feel herself standing to do so when…

"Jewel! He's not answering?"

Sally froze again. That voice she knew, even if it might have been coming from all the way down at the bottom of the steps leading up to Jack's front door.

The Doctor.

Sally felt sick and nervous all over for a moment. The doctor was here! The doctor was coming to take her away! He would take her and lock her up in her room and seal up the window and make her make him dinner and tea and do all of his sewing for the rest of her life, and she would never see the sun or the moon or her precious Jack ever again!

Sally started to feel a little faint, and she gripped the window ledge and tried to soothe herself. '_Calm down. He's not going to take you away. It's okay. He doesn't even know you're here, and the door's locked. Just wait until he leaves. It'll be all right_.' But then suddenly a new terrifying thought occurred to Sally. _'What if Jack comes back while the Doctor's still down there?_' Jack never did lie to anyone, and so if the Doctor asked about her, Jack would certainly tell him the truth about her whereabouts (regardless of whether or not he shared the details of their new relationship just yet). And once the Doctor knew she was here, what would happen to her? And what would happen to her relationship with Jack? She would have to explain to Jack everything about her life with the Doctor and his claim of ownership over her and all of the times she had poisoned him to run away…. It would be humiliating, on top of which for the first time Sally felt herself associating a feeling of shame with her habit of poisoning Dr. Finkelstein. What would Jack think of her when he knew of the lengths she had gone to for her freedom?

Sally let out a breath, keeping low still and biting her lip in fear. Her thoughts managed to become calm again, but only just barely. _'Please just let the Doctor leave before Jack comes back. Please let him leave before Jack comes back. I promise I'll tell Jack everything about the Doctor…later. Just please let the Doctor leave before Jack comes back_.'

"No, Doctor, I'm sorry. He doesn't seem to be home."

The sound of the feminine, simple voice replying to the Doctor snapped Sally out of her thoughts and brought her attention to the front door again. She resumed listening carefully.

There was silence for a moment, and then the Doctor replied back up to the woman. "Very well then. Jack does keep odd hours sometimes. All right, Jewel, come back down and we'll try again later. For now we'll meet the Mayor at the Town Hall. He's expecting us soon anyway."

As 'Jewel' responded to his instruction, Sally could hear the outside steps creaking (she was obviously heading back down the stairs and away from the door). "Very well, Doctor. I'm sorry, I wish he had been home. I would have liked to have met the Pumpkin King, and I just know he would have been able to help with finding Sally."

The Doctor's voice met Sally's ears again. "Yes, we will need his help. But at least for now we can have the Mayor gather together some people and we can all form a plan of action for finding her."

Sally's eyes went wide, and she was pretty sure her pale blue skin had paled all the more. "They're looking for me! The Mayor…the town!" she whispered to herself sharply. '_Oh no…'_

Jewel and the Doctor spoke one more time that Sally could hear, their voices now fading away even more as they obviously headed up the drive back toward town.

"I'm sure we'll find her, Doctor. And that the Pumpkin King will be able to help us soon too," Jewel remarked calmly.

The Doctor grumbled a little bit but then agreed. "I hope so, my precious Jewel. I hope so."

Then Sally couldn't hear anything further. The pair of unexpected visitors had gone.

Sally turned around, pressing her back against the wall and sitting down on the floor. There was a nervous look in her eyes and she bit her lip. '_Jewel_…' The doctor's new helper, she realized. Okay, all right, the Doctor hadn't just forgot about her ever since Christmas Eve—perhaps that had just been wishful thinking on her part. No, he was getting concerned about her long absence, and now he was looking for her and he had help and he obviously didn't suspect that she was here, but he wanted Jack's help at finding her and he was going to get Mayor and the whole town together to start a search. She was blushing furiously now. All of that exposure not just to Jack but to people as well—everyone prying into her life and Jack's life and their small life together, the humiliation of being hunted down through all of Halloween Town like she was a lost piece of property of the Doctor's that he was demanding to have returned to him, possibly having to explain her feelings about Jack to everyone before she was ready and before Jack was ready….And what if somehow the Doctor caused so much trouble that she really did have to leave Jack's house even if she refused to go back to the Doctor's manor?

Sally felt like crying for a moment, it was all so much to think about all of a sudden. Not to mention she'd already been through so much lately: she had successfully stopped Jack from stealing Christmas, she had bravely snuck down into the lair of the most awful person in this town and flirted with him—actually flirted with him—to distract him so that she could save Santa Claus, she'd been tied to a slab, leered at, made the brunt of several distasteful jokes by that horrid monster, she'd had to endure the thought of Jack being gone…and of herself being turned into stew, then she'd had to watch her dear Jack fight that awful monster and nearly get killed again, and then for the last few days even though everything had turned out more wonderfully than she could have ever imagined with she and Jack deciding they were meant to be, she had still been more confused than ever about Jack's feelings for her. And now she had this mess with the Doctor to handle too? And she couldn't even talk to Jack about her problem without potentially causing even more trouble and awkwardness. What would she do?

"Rrr…rrr?" came a gentle, concerned coo of a bark to her ears.

"Ah!" Sally gasped a little, having almost forgotten about Zero's presence. He turned visible beside her now. "Zero!" She looked a touch panicked for a moment and then a touch embarrassed. Sally glanced down with a blush and then looked back up at the little dog, frowning considerably. "Oh Zero, I…I know Jack's your master, I know you two are best friends, but please…oh please Zero, don't tell Jack the Doctor was here and looking for him or for me! I'll tell him soon, Zero, I really will! Just not now." She looked at him pleadingly. "Please just give me some time and keep it a secret. Please, Zero…"

Zero just blinked and looked at her with wide eyes.

And of course he nodded to her. He loved Sally just like he loved Jack, and when Jack plead with him for something (like not telling Sally about his trips to Valentine's Town) it was hard enough to resist, but when Sally plead—her big eyes full of sincerity and innocence, her mouth trembling in a sad frown, her hands clasped together in hope—no faithful companion could deny her.

Zero went forward and nuzzled the side of her face and gave it a little lick.

Sally's heart lightened, and she let out a sigh of relief and reached up to hug him. "Thank you, Zero. Thank you so much."

He pulled back to see her smiling again and wiping a tear away from one of her eyes. "I promise you won't have to keep it a secret for too long. I'll tell Jack very soon, I just need to think of how, all right?"

"Arf!" Zero barked with a grin, giving her face another kiss.

_KNOCK KNOCK, SCREAM!_

Sally just about jumped out of her pale blue skin at the sound of the bell going off and someone knocking again, and instantly she was standing and looking to the doorway with fright.

"Sally? I'm sorry, darling, I know there's no need for me to use the bell and knock, but my hands are a little full at the moment. If you're nearby, can you help me open the door?" a cheerful, familiar skeletal voice suddenly called out from the landing.

Clutching at her chest, Sally breathed out several deep sighs of relief and proceeded to stumble her way over to the door, trying to put forth as much merriment and ease as she could for Jack. "O-Oh, Jack! Um…yes, of course. Sorry, I'll be right there. I was just, um…I was cleaning, and th-the doorbell startled me! Yes!" Smiling as much as she could (and feeling herself blushing a little) Sally opened the door and stood there with a little sheepish, innocent shrug and her arms behind her back. "Welcome home, Jack."

Standing before her, Jack blinked a couple of times and looked at her with interest, his skull tilted to the side. He wasn't sure what it was, but Sally sounded a lot less…calm and graceful and centered than she usually did. Then again though, she had said that he had startled her with the doorbell, and (thinking about it now, he blanched a little) it really was such a horrific, ghoulish sounding doorbell—an ear-splitting scream? Jack suddenly wondered if such a sound echoing through the house every time someone came to the door might make him seem too scary to his normally calm and sweet Sally? He would think about changing the bell later possibly.

The most important thing to him right now though was that once again he had entered his house and had someone to greet him, to welcome him home. Jack smiled and entered the house (both arms behind his back, obviously holding something) and pushed shut the door with his hip. "It's good to be home, Sally. And I'm so sorry I startled you, my darling." Jack smiled more. "I didn't mean to. And you were cleaning again? Oh what a selfless treasure you are." He felt a touch of boldness and couldn't help leaning forward and placing a little kiss on her forehead.

When he pulled back, Sally looked surprised for a moment and then blinked a few times and smiled warmly. "Oh Jack…my dearest Jack…" She giggled, looking to the side, gently wringing her hands in front of herself now. "I was just trying to help. And you made me such a nice breakfast after all, it was the least I could do. Thank you, by the way, it was delicious." Her eyes brightened and she looked up at him again. "Oh, and we made you a plate! Zero and I!"

"Arf!" the little ghost dog added proudly, flying over to his master and mistress.

Jack looked back and forth between them, his smile brightening. "Really? Oh thank you both, that was so very kind of you." He smiled extra at Sally. "And you're welcome for breakfast, Sally, but it was the least I could do for abandoning you on such short notice this morning. Oh, and speaking of that, I have one thing more for you to start this lovely day…." Jack moved his arms forward. He held a huge bouquet to Sally composed of at least three-dozen roses of all sizes and blooms and shades of pink and red from a pinkish pearl tone to a red so dark it was almost black. In the center he had a large one of these dark, blood red ones, in perfect, glorious bloom. "I picked them all for you, to celebrate our date…Oh…" he cleared his throat and added shyly as he held them out more to her, "…A bouquet of the finest roses, so rich, so complex, so attractive just like the woman they're for. Here you are, my most delightful dolly." He looked into her eyes with a sincere smile.

Sally just stared down at the roses with wide eyes and her mouth in a small 'o', blushing softly. "Jack…you…I'm…" And suddenly all of her panic and fear from a few moments ago felt washed away in the glow of Jack's sweet gesture and words. "Oh!" She utterly flew at him in a hug so that he had just enough time to get the flowers in one arm and to use the other arm to wrap around her as he caught her. "Jack, you're the kindest most caring and wonderful man there ever was." Sally giggled. Then she let out a little dreamy sigh and relaxed against his chest, closing her eyes. "Silly skeleton…thank you," she whispered with another little giggle. Oh, he must love her, she knew it in her heart. And she could feel, now that they were together again, that somehow whatever might come to pass with the Doctor and the rest of the town would be okay. They would find a way to make it okay together. Jack really was such a wonderful man… '_Mmm…wonderful man_…' she sighed to herself, '_and with the nicest, strongest, most wonderful chest…_' Sally's fingers gently pressed against Jack's shirt now, but very softly so that he couldn't tell. She was remembering how during her first dream about him coming to her in the night, he had said something about always suspecting she liked his chest. Her fingers now could feel the raised and fallen pattern lying just under his shirt where ribs were and weren't, and Sally shivered with her secret desire to know more.

Jack was just trying to keep a grip on the flowers and on Sally while still remaining standing (despite any weakness slowly starting to enter his knees). It just felt so good when she laid herself against him…to have her so close, trusting him, content with him, and she had called him a wonderful man just now among other things. A part of him felt like he wanted to stay like this with her forever, surrounded by her and the smell of delicate roses. "Delightful dolly…" Jack whispered shyly back to Sally, his eye sockets closing and his smile warming, "You're welcome for the flowers." He sighed dreamily. "Still though, even a whole field of roses wouldn't equal your loveliness."

Sally trembled and smiled more and let herself rest more against him. She even let her chest press to his. Did he have a heart or something like a heartbeat? She wished she could find the spot wherever it might be and match it up with the place in her chest that had its own faint pulsation of life in death. "I don't need a field of flowers, Jack. All I need is you, my King…"

Jack trembled so much. She had never called him… "S-Sally, you don't…you don't have to call me…to call me…" Yet, he couldn't get out the words. He liked it too much, what she had just said…and he had liked the shiver it had sent up his spine to hear her address him like that as well.

Sally understood what he meant and whispered back, shaking her head. "I know. But I want to. I don't mean it as 'the Pumpkin King'. I just mean it as _my_ King—my special King…okay?"

Jack's smile trembled, and he felt his bones warming. "…Oh…well, then…if you want, 'my King' is perfectly all right, I suppose."

Sally giggled and whispered back, smiling up at him. "I want very much, Jack…my King…my Jack…"

Jack smiled more down at her, his eye sockets completely hazed now. "S-Sally, I'm going to drop the flowers…"

Sally almost stopped herself as her blushing increased but then couldn't help adding in an even softer version of the quiet coos in which they had been talking, "Do you want to go somewhere more comfortable?" She gazed up at him, still clinging to his chest and with a perfectly lovely smile upon her face.

She was met with the sight of Jack blinking down at her, blanching a little, and then swallowing distinctly. "I…" He looked to the side, his mouth quirking strangely. Then he looked back to her and tried to smile a little again. "Can we go to the kitchen for now, Sally? I want to put the flowers in water, and then I wanted to talk to you about something."

Sally blinked and felt a touch embarrassed for a moment at the sudden switch in tone. But then she remembered the flowers and how large the bouquet really was (and how it had been a sweet present all for her), and she smiled and nodded. "Okay, Jack." She then reached up her hand to gently cup his face and looked at him with a touch of concern. "But promise me you'll eat your breakfast before we do anything else, all right? You sleep so little and do so much, Jack, and I think you've eaten fewer meals since I've been here than even I have. I know you're a skeleton and probably don't need much, but I still worry about you. Please have some breakfast, just to keep up your energy?" Her smile picked up a little on one side.

Jack just blinked…and then he nodded, his voice soft and serious. "I promise to always take care of myself, for your sake and my own, Sally. You have my word…as your King but more importantly as the man who…" His eye sockets went wider and he was quiet for a moment, "…I…as the man who…as your dearest friend…as your more than dearest friend." He smiled and seemed a touch overwhelmed and then he kissed her upon the head again and finally quickly let her go and sped toward the dining room and kitchen with the flowers.

As Sally watched him go she smiled softly and dreamily. It made her feel just wonderful inside when he would admit how he felt about her now—her 'more than' dearest friend. But more importantly he had promised to always take care of himself. Those words lightened her heart considerably after all she had watched him go through these last few months. Sally followed along after him into the dining room.

Jack was just exiting the kitchen with a large funeral urn filled with water which he placed on the dining room table, putting the flowers inside. He admired the roses with a smile for a moment and then turned his sights to the covered plate and glass of juice set up for him at one end of the table. Jack sat down…and then blinked as Sally's little note caught his eye. "Oh…what's this?" He lifted up the note.

Looking shy, Sally blinked and sat down near him, playing with a strand of her hair. "Oh I, um…well, you always write such nice letters to me, Jack, so I wrote you a breakfast one…a poem. Um…it's silly, you don't have to—"

"Sally, if you thought I was determined to steal _Christmas_, that level of headstrong from me is nothing compared tp how determined I am to read this breakfast poem of yours." Jack cut off her modest disclaimers, grinning at her and giving a little wink as he opened the note.

Sally blinked a few times, then smiled and giggled. "All right, Jack."

Jack smiled more and nodded. "Thank you, Sally. Now, let's see…" He looked down at paper and began to read.

_The stealthiest skeleton who's ever been,  
__An agile shadow of the night.  
__No wonder you sneak off so easily,  
__And I miss your smile in the morning light.  
__I know you have so much to do, dearest Jack  
__And that you like to be alone,  
__But I hope you'll take me with you sometimes.  
__Without you nowhere is home._

_I hope you like your breakfast as much as I liked mine, my darling._

_~Your Sally._

Back at the table, Sally figured Jack must be done reading by now (it was hard for her to tell since she was looking down shyly, but the poem was short and a minute or two had passed at this point), so she swallowed and stammered a little. "It was just something small. I just wanted to let you know how I feel and how I miss you sometimes. But you said before that you'll take good care of yourself now, and I'm so happy for that." There was still only quiet meeting her in response though. Finally Sally looked up hesitantly. "Jack?"

Jack was just staring at the little note, and there was a little tear falling down his face from a wide eye socket.

Sally froze. She had never seen him cry before. She had thought, when they had been on Spiral Hill together Christmas night, perhaps a tear had left him. But the snow and been falling and it had been dark, so she hadn't been able to tell either way. But this was definitely a tear now.

Jack, not even realizing the tear, just sighed softly. "This is…" left him quietly. He looked to the side and smiled softly, tenderly folding up the note. "You wrote a beautiful poem, Sally. I will treasure it forever. Thank you…so much." He slipped into the inside breast pocket of his jacket, patting it once he felt it safely secured away. Jack was quiet for a moment again, then he let out a breath and cleared his throat, composure finally returning to him. He smiled across at Sally. "I'm sorry, Sally, I don't mean to seem overwhelmed. It's just that I'm so happy to hear that you enjoy our time together as much as I do, and your writing was so beautiful." He realized something and quickly wiped at his face with the fringe of his sleeve. "Oh, um…beautiful e-enough to bring a tear to a skeleton's eye, it seems." Jack laughed and then looked down shyly to lift the silver lid from his plate. He smiled down at the yummy sight before him, realizing suddenly that he really was quite hungry, and then proceeded to dig in. "Oh Sally, thank you! This is just what I needed." He smiled brightly over at her, swallowing some pumpkin bread. "Sometimes I get so distracted I forget how hungry I am and how nice it is in the middle of all of this cold weather to have a hot meal." He ate more.

Sally smiled so very happily. "Thank you, Jack. I'm happy you like your breakfast…and the poem too." She felt a girlish sigh coming on. _'Preparing him a nice meal and sitting down with him and making him smile…I wonder if this is what it would be like to be his…wife_.' Something in Sally's leaves fluttered to the point of madness at the fantasy of marrying Jack, the two of them getting to be together forever. She giggled a little at the idea.

"Sally? Something funny?" came the amused question to her ears from Jack.

She blinked, and her eyes focused in on Jack again. He was just looking at her with a curious smile and finishing another bite of food (and he really must have been hungry because she noticed half his plate was already gone). She felt heat run to her face and did her best to smile casually as she replied, "O-Oh, um…no…yes, um…I-I'm just…happy to see like the pumpkin bread so much." She looked back at him. That might not have been the reason she had laughed, but it was certainly a true statement nonetheless.

Jack smiled more. "Oh, yes, Sally, your pumpkin bread is simply delicious, in fact." He ate another bite. "It's even better than my own recipe, actually. And the 'wormswart, black sugar' glaze was a nice touch. You really do amaze me."

Sally giggled, looking down humbly. "Oh Jack…"

Jack chuckled softly. Then he sipped some of his juice. Then he asked, just as anyone in this situation might do, "So, anything happen while I was gone?"

"Mm!" Sally squeaked, her eyes going wide. She bit her lip and thought very hard and quickly.

Luckily for her Jack was just merrily and peacefully enjoying the remainder of his meal, so he didn't pick up on anything unusual.

"Um…everything was…fine," Sally finally settled on replying with the best smile she could manage. '_The Doctor didn't end up catching me so…that's fine…right?'_ Still, she hated lying to Jack even if it was only 'kind of' lying. She frowned a little. '_I'll tell him later. I promise I'll tell him everything later…. Just let me savor this a little longer—us just being happy together and everything being so simple. I don't know what he'll do when I tell him_.' She let out a breath and added, hoping to move things along, "I just missed you, like I said in the poem."

Jack smiled and nodded to her. "And I missed you too, Sally. And I promise, no more missed breakfasts." He winked at her. Then he took one more bite and went to take another but…there was nothing left on his plate. Jack sighed in satisfaction, resting back in his chair a little and giving a yawn. "Hmm I haven't eaten that much at one time since…since before Halloween. Almost three months." He stretched a little and closed his eye sockets and sighed to himself. "I really must stop working so hard…and I really must start making sure I actually sleep when it's dark out instead of walking off…"

"Please do, Jack." Sally's brow knit in concern. "Where have you been going anyway?"

The question met Jack's ears, and he blinked and nearly toppled backward in his chair, losing his balance for a moment. "I-I…um…" he smiled at Sally, feeling his skull starting to blanch again, "Oh, I just went for a nice long walk…talked to a friend. I just needed to clear my head some more. Y-You know…stress of the holidays and everything." '_I can't tell her I needed to get inter-holiday advice about something as simple as a second date—it would be humiliating. I may be very inexperienced at courting, but I still think I can learn enough about it as we go along to keep that from being obvious_.' Not to mention Jack also didn't want to have to explain needing some guidance to keep himself from maybe accidentally going overboard and uncontrollably spouting a bunch of things about love and longing and attraction to her and then giving her passionate kiss after passionate kiss… Jack cleared his throat and pushed his suddenly overwhelming thoughts away for the moment.

Sally blinked at Jack's odd response and looked at him with a smile but also with a touch of hesitation. "Oh. Well, that's nice… Um…is everything all right with your friend?"

"Huh?" Jack blinked.

Sally smiled more. "You seemed a little worried for a second. Is everything all right with your friend—the friend you said you went to talk to?" Sally didn't want to pry too much about his whereabouts—she figured he would tell her where exactly he had been when he felt it was the right time. But he had responded a little anxiously, and so to be polite the least she figured she could do was ask about his friend.

Jack sighed, calming down a little (though a touch of something nervous remained in his smile). "Oh, um…yes, my friend is perfectly fine, thank you for asking, Sally. And I'm sorry for seeming worried for a moment, I think it was just a little bit of…indigestion." He perked up at that excuse and lightly hit his chest with the side of his fist a couple of times and cleared his throat, going on. "Skeletons shouldn't eat so quickly or so much in one sitting no matter how hungry they are or how delicious the food is. I suppose I'll just have to eat better and take better care of myself in the future just like I told you I would." His smile became a little calmer now.

Sally looked at him with a touch of concern once more but then smiled and nodded. "All right, Jack. I'm glad. And, um…it's really okay if you want to take private walks and even if you have to miss a meal sometimes. I know you're busy. Just promise you'll always come back to me?" Her smile softened.

Jack's smile softened too. He leaned a little across the table. "I will always come back to you. I promise."

Sally's heart warmed and lightened.

Jack continued to smile at her, though it weakened a tiny bit now. "Um, Sally? As long as breakfast is over, could we talk about what I wanted to talk to you about now? You know, the thing I mentioned in my letter to you?"

Sally blinked, recalling that part of his morning message now. "Oh! Yes, um…sure, Jack. What is it? Is anything the matter?" Inside she could feel her fibers going on edge—what if it was about the Doctor? What if he already knew everything that was going on? Oh dear, oh dear…

"I wanted to talk to you about how I, um…well, how I spent the night in your room last night."

Sally blinked a few more times at this revelation, then blushed lightly and smiled. "Oh, yes…. That." Sally's look went dreamy as she suddenly found herself remembering everything about her lovely dream and…then her eyes went wide! "Wait, you mean you really did fall asleep with me? That wasn't a dream?" She couldn't even breathe.

Jack cringed a little. '_Oh dear, she didn't even realize…Thought it was a dream_.' "Er, well, no, it wasn't a dream, Sally." He cleared his throat. "We were talking by the fire last night and holding each other after we ate, and I suppose one thing led to another and we both dozed off together. Then I woke up a little after dawn and realized what had happened, and I left and changed clothes and prepared you breakfast and then went on my outing." He frowned a little. "I am sorry I left you without saying anything. I panicked a little. I hadn't expected to spend the night with you, and when I realized I had, it overwhelmed me a little. And also I just didn't want to wake you so early. Just because I can barely sleep half the time doesn't mean you should miss out on rest." He smiled a little but still looked mostly sheepish.

Sally smiled. "Thank you, Jack—it was sweet of you to let me sleep." They just remained smiling at each other for a moment, and then Sally blushed slightly and prompted, "So then…what did you want to talk about from last night exactly?" She felt her breaths growing a little quick and shallow, and she could feel again the memory of his skeletal hands gliding over her back and his lips occasionally brushing her shoulders in the glow of the firelight last night.

Jack blinked. "Ah…well, I, um…I just wanted to apologize if you felt me staying with you last night was too forward. But I also wanted to let you know that, well…last night was a very happy night for me, Sally. I might have felt nervous when I realized what had happened, but beyond that, waking up with you was…" his smile wobbled, "…very nice. In fact, this morning was the best morning of my life. And I hope the whole experience was just as special for you."

Sally's eyes hazed, and she leaned closer to him over the table. "Oh, Jack, you don't have to apologize—last night was just wonderful for me too. Everything from when we were holding each other by the fire after dinner to when you were telling me the old Halloween Town legends to when you told me all of those things about how you really felt and touched me…" She sighed dreamily, so overwhelmed.

Jack just blinked and looked at her blankly though. "Um…Sally? I'm sorry, but what do you mean? We ate, and then I told you Halloween Town stories, but after that we just fell asleep near each other." He blanched a little and added, "I know I did put my arm over you at some point after we laid down since I woke up like that, but I must have been asleep when it happened, and I didn't really touch you any more than that as far as I can remember. And we didn't talk about f-feelings or anything." He swallowed. "I'm sorry, I'm just not sure what you mean…"

Sally went wide-eyed and could only do her best not to look as humiliated as she suddenly felt. "I-I…um…" she tried to smile, "Oh. Oh…it's nothing, Jack. I'm sorry, I think I must have just been half awake or something when you put your arm over me. That's what I meant about touching me. And I was just thinking of the feelings of spookiness and scariness that came up when we talked about the Halloween legends, that's all." On the outside, Sally seemed calm enough, but inside she felt a little mortified. '_Talking after dinner was real, and we did fall asleep together last night, but everything after that—everything Jack said about how he fell in love with me from the start, and how he touched me…_' the feel of his bony hands gliding ghostlike over her taught seams while the word 'love' poured in his velvety voice to her ears, '…_That was all a dream. That was all a dream, and I almost just told him everything about it._' "I'm sorry, Jack, I didn't mean to confuse you," Sally mumbled, looking down and trying her best to hide her touch of disappointment and her fluster.

"Oh." Jack smiled again. "It's all right, Sally. Please don't worry about it. I'm just a little tired, and you're still getting used to living here—that's probably why we both got confused. But I'm glad you enjoyed our night." His tone and smile warmed. "Thank you for it."

Something in Sally's smile became a bit more genuine, and she managed to make eye contact again. Her tone grew warmer too. "It was nice of you to say the thing to me last night about the wine and how I was special and how you would only ever drink it with me…"

Jack's eye sockets brightened and he shrugged modestly. "I'm glad that made you happy. And it's true you know…that you're so special to me and that the only one I'll ever share a bottle of pumpkin wine with is you. That's our special memory together."

Sally beamed a little. "Jack?" She bit her lip and looked up at him hopefully.

He nodded, looking a little dreamy. "Yes?"

She smiled more. "Can we have another date soon? I'd like to talk more…and to spend more time together of course." She reached out across the table and lightly touched the long, bony fingers of one of his hands with her own soft little cloth fingers. She wanted to touch those bones of his, and these dreams she had been having, however vivid, were simply not enough. Even just tracing the light arches and bumps of his hand with her fingertips sent trembles all throughout her.

Jack was having quite a few trembly experiences of his own right now. His whole spine shivered. How could she do that to him, and just by innocently touching his hand no less? "Y-Yes…let's have another date soon, and talk and be together." Jack nodded hazily. "We'll make some plans. I'm sure it'll be lovely." He chuckled to himself, and then with a shy swallow he raised their hands to kiss the back of hers before separating the appendages and standing up to head to the kitchen with his empty plate. "For now, though, let's see about those dish—" He blinked, pausing and looking in the sink basin—it was completely empty. He raised an eyebrow. "Where in the world did…" he started to mumble to himself.

"_Mmm mm_…" Sally cleared her throat lightly and stood up, shrugging and playing with her hands. "Zero and I did the dishes, Jack. You made breakfast, so it was the least we could do. I told you I was cleaning before you got home."

Jack blinked and turned around. Then he smiled, put down his plate on the counter, walked over to her and gave her a very big hug that lifted her right up off the floor for a moment before setting her down again. "You are an absolute nightmarish dream come true." He pulled back with a grin and looked down into her cute, wide, surprised eyes, and then he admonished her playfully, "But no more cleaning or tidying up for you for the rest of the day, all right? I want you to relax and…and eat Halloween chocolates and sew little things for yourself and read a good book by the fire. Promise?"

A dreamy eyed Sally merely giggled and replied shyly, "O-Oh…all right, I promise…my dearest Jack." She leaned up and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

Jack grinned ear to ear. "Um…v-very good then." He laughed warmly to himself and then released her and dazedly went over to the sink just to rinse and set aside his own plate. "Well, then, you just relax like I said. And as for another date, perhaps tomorrow night?" He glanced over his shoulder at her. "I want to head over to town hall today and talk to the Mayor a while. See if we can get some preliminary plans in order for Halloween…We really are very far behind, all things considered. Perhaps you could even come with me?"

"NO!" Sally suddenly shouted in panic.

Jack blinked, setting aside his clean and dry plate on the counter, and turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "O-Oh, um…okay, Sally. If you'd rather stay here, I understand." He smiled a little sheepishly. "After all, I'm sure you've had your fill of holiday preparation for a while, and I know the planning meetings can probably seem a little boring." He looked down shyly, not wanting to pressure her about getting involved in the daily affairs of his job. And yet still he wished, however boring it was, that she would come look at plans with him. It would feel like having a partner…even like having a Queen maybe.

"Oh, no, no, Jack!" Sally moved toward him and did her best to smile casually, though inside she was all locked up in nervousness. "Heh, I mean, I'd love to look at Halloween plans sometime, and it's very sweet of you to value my opinion, but, uh…but…." She thought and thought quickly, "…D-Do you really have to go to town hall today? Talk to the Mayor? Can't you just stay here? All day? Not leave." She smiled brightly.

Jack blinked a few times and considered. "Oh, I…well…Sally, you know how much I enjoy our time together, but I do have to be responsible about my duties. We've already lost two months planning time for this Halloween all thanks to me. I at least have to get us on track and have some basic ideas in mind before the new year advances too much. " He smiled. "But I promise you we'll go on a lovely date tomorrow—you just take all of today to plan whatever you'd like us to do. I have total confidence in you."

Uh oh. Sally felt like she was going to pass out a little. '_I am going to tell Jack everything about the Doctor, I promise I am going to tell Jack everything about the doctor, but I just need some time to think about what to tell him and how to tell him! I only just found out myself that the Doctor's even looking for me, planning to get the whole town together…Is one day more too much to ask?' "_U-Um…well…okay then!" Suddenly, and idea occurred to her, and she brightened up and smiled more, stepping closer to him. "I understand, Jack, really, but, um…well, for our date I'd also like your input on what we should do, so can you at least stay around to talk with me about our plans, just for a little while now? It's still so early in the day, after all." She looked up at him hopefully once more.

At this new request Jack smiled and nodded. "Oh, well, yes, that's understandable, Sally. And it is a bit early still. We could talk about plans for our date if you wanted for a bit."

Sally felt such relief. And yet still, how much time could talking about a date really buy her? No, she needed something…something that he could get involved in, something that would distract him and keep him here indefinitely. '_The Doctor already looked here for me and for Jack—that means he and the Mayor shouldn't look here again any time soon. They'll scour the rest of the town and countryside first just like when Jack went missing after Halloween_…' Sally cleared her throat and nodded. "Thank you, Jack. Um…Jack? There's just one more thing I wanted us to do today if we could, but you don't have to if you don't want to. I know you're busy, of course." She looked down, rocking on her heels a little.

Jack blinked and raised an eyebrow again. "What is it, Sally?"

Sally looked up at him hesitantly and then asked something that she really had been wanting to ask anyway. "Can we work on building my sewing machine together, Jack? I want to be able to sew for us, really sew for us. Can we at least start trying to build it, just while we're talking about our date?"

Jack paused at this request. The building of her sewing machine might be a big undertaking, and he really did want to go and see the Mayor today for a good period of time. '_Still though…we don't have to finish the sewing machine today, we can just tinker with it…. And, like she pointed out, the hour is still rather early…. And I know the sewing machine is special to her. Well…_' "Well…all right, Sally, yes. We can work on your sewing machine a little." He nodded and smiled. "I will have to head to town hall at some point before evening, but we can work on it for now at least, maybe even through lunchtime."

Sally beamed. "Oh thank you, Jack!" She gave him a great big hug of her own and then pulled back with a smile. "I'll go set up the living room, and we'll work on it in there! And then when it's done I'll make you all of the cute pinstriped things you could ever possibly want, my big, sweet, silly skeleton!" Her smile bright, she raced out of the kitchen to prepare their workspace. '_Oh, it'll take us forever to try building that thing. It's like a puzzle, and Jack loves puzzles—I'm sure he'll want to stick with it so long that eventually he'll be too tired to go out, and he'll put off seeing the Mayor until tomorrow. And then tonight I'll think about how I want to tell him everything, and then we'll talk in the morning calmly over breakfast together. Perfect, I finally have time!'_ She was very happy as she trotted away.

Meanwhile, Jack was still in the kitchen leaning back against the counter a little with a surprised, half lidded look upon his face. '_She...thinks my pinstripes are cute…_' He had never felt more thrilled by a notion in his entire life. '_Oh, Halloween can wait another afternoon, or maybe even another day, just one more day—I already made an appearance in town yesterday when I went to buy Sally's cloth and our groceries, so at least everyone knows I'm all right. And this year's a leap year anyway so February has an extra day to it that we can work with before October 31__st__. Or maybe we can even just make a new holiday all about sewing machines and my Sally and how she notices my pinstripes and thinks they're cute._' He chuckled to himself at the idea and dreamily headed forward to gather the box of parts from his bedroom and then commence their project together.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now, and I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Next time: lots of stalling by Sally, a ridiculous amount of flirting, and talk of a new role for Sally in the Halloween parade now that Oogie Boogie's part is up for grabs. I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	11. Private Calm Before the Public Storm, 1

**A/N:**

Hey everyone! Double updates? I know XD Basically, I forgot that this chapter, when I drafted it, ended up being so long that I had to split it up into a Part 1 and Part 2. And I really wanted to post both of them at once so…there we go ^_^ After this, updates will just be one at a time, every two weeks, but for now I hope you like this extra long dose of Jack and Sally. There's a lot of fluffiness here…but like the chapter title says, it's leading to some drama in the next update. Please review! Thank you all!  
**  
Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 11:**

**The Private Calm Before the Public Storm, Part 1**

* * *

Jack sighed deeply, scratching his skull and looking down at the sewing machine before him on living room floor with an eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry, Sally, I just can't figure it out. Every time it seems like we've gotten all of the parts together and that everything should work, we try to turn your sewing machine on, and some little nut or bolt or cog is missing. It's very strange…"

Jack looked up to Sally (who was sitting across from him on the rug, legs curled beneath her), going on. "I thought I'd bought every little piece we could need, but perhaps I forgot something or a few little somethings. I really am sorry, Sally, I know how much this means to you." He sighed once more, looking back to the sewing machine. "It also might just be me. Mechanical things have never been my strong point, I suppose. I didn't mean to disappoint you." Jack looked back to her with a frown.

"Jack, you don't have to be sorry," Sally replied with an understanding smile. She moved closer to him on the floor, glancing at the coffee table strewn with a few spare parts and the floor where the sewing machine sat, and then looking back to Jack again. "I know the sewing machine has a lot of parts and that it's a complicated thing to put together. I'm just so happy you went to the trouble of gathering everything and putting in the effort to try and make it work for me. But I think for today maybe we should just put it away and try again fresh in the morning. I'm sure we'll get it up and running after a night to sleep on it."

Sally tried to smile reassuringly at Jack as she finished this reply…though she was quite convinced her grin must look a little guilty. And she did feel rather guilty…considering the few bolts and cogs currently secretly tucked into a pocket of her dress. Indeed, while Jack had been tinkering away with the machine's gears, she had sort of been 'borrowing' a little piece here and there so that no attempt of his to start the machine could work. She knew it was wrong and not very nice, but she was so desperate to keep him here and away from the town hall for the rest of the day that she hadn't been able to help herself. But now, however, Sally just couldn't keep up the charade anymore—she couldn't bear the look of defeat and melancholy on Jack's face each time he tried to make the sewing machine work and failed. She would find some other way to distract him for the rest of the day, and then tomorrow she would pop all of the extra pieces back into the machine and let it work and give Jack every ounce of the credit for all of his effort. "I-I'm sure it'll work tomorrow, Jack," Sally added with a small shrug, "I have a very good feeling about that."

Jack smiled softly and nodded. "Okay, Sally. Thank you. And who knows, maybe it really will all come together in the morning light." Sally was probably right, he had probably just been at this too long. And come to think of it, it was getting rather late in the afternoon now. "Sally," Jack started to get up off the floor, "if we won't work on this until tomorrow, then I hope you won't mind if I pop by town hall now to check in with the Mayor and set up some time to work on the plans for next Halloween. I really really should…"

"Oh, but Jack!" Sally all but squeaked, grabbing his arm and keeping him from standing, her eyes very wide. "I…mmm…"she bit her lip and then managed with a smile, "…y-you were so nice to build this for me and get all the parts, you deserve a rest. I could make us an early dinner to thank you! You just rest on the couch, and I'll make us a nice meal, and then maybe we can, um…talk…" She gulped. '_I'd rather tell him about the Doctor right here and now without any time to prepare for it than have him go to town hall and hear it from there first.' _

Jack just blinked and looked down at Sally curiously. "Sally," he smiled warmly, "I appreciate your concern, and I am a little tired, but sometimes I just have to take care of certain things. I'm the leader, and frankly I've made enough of a mess of our holiday lately by making a mess of Christmas. And now I've had a few days to recover and to think about what I've done and what I need to do…and of course I've had the pleasure of your company for those days." He leaned a little closer to her. "So it's time for me to fulfill my duties, just for a little while at least. When I come back though perhaps we can do something together tonight." Jack swallowed and looked down with a wobbly smile. "If you're not too tired by then, that date we planned out together earlier might be nice—a moonlit rowboat ride out onto the lake." He chuckled, his voice deepening slightly into a richer tone whether or not he realized it, and his eyes hazing a little. "I'm afraid there are quite a few monsters in the lake that come out at night, but I'd be more than happy to frighten them off for you."

Even despite the strength of her desperation and her worry over of the Doctor, Sally was completely overwhelmed for the moment by Jack's sudden sweetness and romantic tone. Not to mention, when his voice sunk lower like that…well, the only thing that made her quiver inside more was when he sang. To have him scare creatures just for her, to be alone with him in a little boat under the moonlight…to have him smile and understand everything and still care for her. Sally knew he was a good man, she knew he might find the circumstances of her life strange but that in time he could overlook them, she knew he wouldn't send her away…

But then there was a new question to consider—would Jack forgive her for technically lying to him like she was now? Keeping secrets, tricking him into staying with her, misleading him with topics of conversation… '_That's how I used to handle the Doctor…before I just started outright poisoning him.' _Sally's eyes went very wide, and she snapped out of her romantic fluster. "Jack…" she moved closer to him, "Yes, I would love a date like that tonight. And I completely understand about you wanting and needing to plan Halloween with the Mayor now. I just, um…" '_Tell him. It'll be okay_…' "I just…" she bit her lip…but she just couldn't reveal everything this suddenly though. Luckily, a viable idea for keeping him here a bit longer suddenly stumbled out of her mouth. "H-Halloween plans. I mean, um…" she swallowed, going on, "Jack, if you don't want to it's fine, but…I know that before, you said you wouldn't mind if I came with you to town to look at the plans you and the Mayor would start making. And I think I'd actually like to do that some time soon. But first, don't you think it might be nice to have something already planned out to bring to the Mayor so that you two can get right to work organizing this year's parade?" Her smile softened into its normal look.

Jack considered and then nodded with a smile. "Yes…actually, that might be helpful. It might even make the Mayor feel more at ease, knowing we didn't have to start completely from scratch with this year's celebration."

Sally smiled more. "Exactly. So, before you go to Town Hall, if you really do want my input on Halloween, and only if you wouldn't mind…I could help you do some Halloween planning here right now that you could maybe present to the Mayor first thing tomorrow morning." Sally swallowed—yes, this was her last desperate plan to get Jack to stick around here, but also to be honest she wouldn't have minded the chance at something like directly contributing to Halloween planning. But she didn't want to push him about it at all—her guilt from her other actions was too great for that at this point. Sally looked down a little. "Unless you're not comfortable with that of course. I know this is your job and that planning Halloween is a very big thing, and I don't really have any experience. But I just wanted to help if I could. And you were so nice trying to put together the sewing machine for me that it's the least I could do."

A response didn't meet her ears at first. Sally looked up hesitantly. "Jack?"

He was just looking at her with his skull tilted to the side and wide eye sockets suggesting some surprise.

"Jack…?" Sally tried again softly, feeling nervous now.

"Oh!" Jack blinked, snapping out of it. "I'm sorry, Sally. I just didn't expect…" and then he smiled so widely and so happily, "You'd like to help actually plan Halloween with me? Side by side? Together? Really?" He smiled more, sitting back down completely now on the floor, positively beaming. "I'd love it, Sally, if you really would like to help so much. You're so clever, I'm sure we could come up with something wonderful for the holiday! I think the experience of planning together would be thrilling actually."

Sally smiled and nearly blushed a little. "Oh, well…you're much more experienced than I am of course, Jack, but, yes, I'd love to help you put some things together and to see how the planning works and how you think of things. You come up with some very creative ideas each year, Jack." '_He called me clever again…and this time I can actually enjoy it._' Sally swooned a little inside and did her best to hold back a giggle.

Jack grinned with an adorable touch of pride, looking down modestly. "Oh, well I don't know about 'very creative', but I do try. I'm glad you've enjoyed your Halloweens so far."

Sally nodded, smiling sincerely. "Of course I have, Jack. The parade is always nice, and you certainly put on quite a show yourself…_Our man, Jack, who's King of the Pumpkin Patch_…" She sang the last few words and winked and giggled now. She knew Jack had an ego—oh he tried to hide it, tried to be very humble, and he really was a selfless person, but he had an ego nonetheless. And she had to figure that he adored the words in the song about him and adored, despite any laments about the holiday, dancing around on wooden horseback and dressing up like a scarecrow and getting set on fire and doing that triple backflip in to the fountain only to rise up from it at the end to the applause of everyone around. He had been the same way with Christmas, looking all proud in his Santa suit and grinning on a platform above the town while the Mayor sang his praises. And she found that ego a very cute trait of his to tease him about all of a sudden.

Jack blinked and looked down very humbly and then stood up from the floor, dusting off his pants and taking a step back from her. "O-Oh, yes, well I…I'm just such a central figure that I try to make sure everyone has something to enjoy in my performance. The song was my idea—you don't think I've been too flashy with it all these years, do you?" He glanced to her hesitantly as he held out a hand to help her up.

Sally just smiled more and shook her head as she took his hand to stand. "Oh no, not at all. Everyone likes it, the song and the performance and you at the center. It's all wonderful each year. And you're such a good dancer and singer too of course." She dusted off her skirt and took a step closer to him.

Jack smiled a lot and still tried to look down (though she could tell from the grin on his skull that was enjoying this). "Well, I have been known to carry a tune in my day. And dancing, well…I like dancing and moving. I've always been very energetic, I suppose."

"It's mesmerizing when you perform each year…" Sally couldn't help but remark, her hands clasped in front of herself. "I wish I could dance like that, Jack."

Jack swallowed, looking up and smiling more at her shy posture. "I'm sure you must dance just…divinely, Sally."

Sally shook her head, bringing her eyes to his again. "No. My balance has never been very good. I even wobble sometimes when I walk. I could never dance like you, Jack." She looked down a touch shyly once more, digging the toe of her shoe lightly into the floor, only to fall off balance a little and need to take a step forward to steady herself. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged at him. "See?"

Jack's smile only grew. "I could dance with you, sometime, to help teach you if you'd like. I would never let you fall, Sally."

Sally's eyes went wide and her smile beamed a little. "Really, Jack?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, Sally, really. I would love to dance with you, my dearest friend, whenever you're ready. You have my word."

Sally felt all of her leaves flutter inside. Then she approached him with a small, playful smirk. "I'd love that very much, Jack. But for now, let's work on the Halloween planning first. We've spent almost the whole day doing things about me—you made me breakfast, brought me flowers, tried to build my sewing machine. Now it's time to be responsible, like you said, and to focus on something that's important to you." Sally then proceeded to clear away the sewing machine and all of its spare parts into its box which she set aside beside the sofa, leaving them with a clear, clean space on the coffee table.

Jack smiled more and nodded. "Very well, my darling." He chuckled, fluffing the pillows on the sofa and heading over to a desk to grab some paper and pens and other design tools. "I can see you're going to be a very focused holiday planner. That's an excellent match for me. I'm afraid I tend to get distracted very easily. I think they Mayor will be grateful you've saved him some of the trouble this year of trying to rope me in."

"Oh, you're just enthusiastic, Jack," Sally assured, taking a seat on one end of the sofa. "All of the ideas you come up with give you more ideas for other things—there's nothing wrong with that at all."

Jack returned and laid out the supplies, then took a seat on the sofa beside her. "Thank you, Sally. And yes, well, speaking of ideas…if you have any ideas you'd like to suggest regarding your own role in the festivities this year, I'd love to hear them." He smiled more. " After all, we'll have some extra space in the song now since Oogie's not around anymore, and your 'wind blowing through hair' part that I assigned you does come right before where his was, so you could easily extend into the gap. And besides, your part has always been a little small…" He frowned a little. "I'm sorry, Sally, I only assigned you something so simple originally because you always seemed so shy, so I thought you wouldn't want to do anything big or flashy…and you do have the prettiest hair in town, so of course I—"

Jack was silenced by Sally placing a single fingertip over his lips with a smile. "Jack, that was the part I wanted, that was the part I got. It was subtle and suited me, and I was just grateful that you cared enough to help me find a part to play." Then she smiled a little more and added, "Did you really give it to me partly because you like my hair so much?" Her finger moved away from his lips and her hands came to play with the strands of her hair a little.

Jack blinked and then smiled a touch bashfully and gave a little nod. "I'm happy you've liked the part. And yes…" his eye sockets drifted to the delicate yarn strands. "After all, if anyone's got hair perfect for the wind to blow though, it's you."

Sally practically smiled ear to ear and then she giggled and smirked. "Oh Jack…I bet you say things like that to all the girls who kiss you on top of a hill."

Instantly, Jack blinked and blanched quite a bit. "Wh-What? No, I don't ever say anything like that to any girls ever except for you! I swear, I—" And then he realized… "Oh, um…that was a joke. Heh…" He swallowed, looking down a little with a shrug. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away."

Sally giggled lightly. "It's all right, Jack. It was cute. Besides, it's nice to know for a fact that I'm the only girl you ever kissed on a hill top."

There was silence for a moment. Then Jack spoke quietly and very sincerely, looking down the whole time. "You're the only girl I've kissed…ever."

Sally blinked at the response, but just as she thought to catch his eye sockets and ask him about it, Jack was suddenly standing and shuffling toward the kitchen, clearing his throat. "Yes, well…erm…if we're going to start on that Halloween planning, I'll get some candles. The light's getting a little dim in here." And with that he was gone from the room.

Sally watched him head off, and then she turned back around and thought to herself very deeply.

She had not been around for Jack's entire existence of course—after all, her creation had been a sudden and new thing in this world that had been here for ages. And not that she would really ever think that Jack had had little flings with the female citizens on a regular basis before her time, but she had assumed at least that maybe an effort on his part had been made here or there in the past to test out the romantic waters. The experiments must have failed, of course, since Jack tended to discourage the advances of the other women in town. But, Sally had never imagined that Jack had never ever…not even once…

Part of her was utterly elated at being so special all of a sudden—the only girl Jack's heart ever chosen.

A larger part of her though felt concern for Jack. He must have been around for a very long time—ever since the invention of Halloween. What loneliness to never have a dearest friend in all of that time…what heartache. No wonder his lament before Halloween had been so sad. And now he was trying to connect with her in this special way. Sally felt like she had just uncovered a very important piece of the puzzle about why Jack was so shy around her sometimes, why his passions could be so reserved, why the word love had never come close to leaving his lips yet about her.

"Um, here we are, Sally!"

Sally snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Jack returning to the sofa with a couple of lit candles in candleholders. He seemed his normal happy self once more. "Let's get started." He took his seat beside her again. "I'm sure this will be our most frightful Halloween yet with you helping to plan things. I really am so happy to be doing this with you, Sally. Thank you again."

Sally just smiled as best she could and nodded. "Oh, of course, Jack. And I really am happy you're letting me help." He obviously didn't want to pursue the issue of his prior romantic life at the moment, and she figured now wasn't the best time anyway…not to mention she still had quite a few topics of her own to talk about with him.

Meanwhile, seated alongside Sally, Jack was just cheerily unrolling a few blank pieces of paper and laying out pens and protractors and compasses. And he really was feeling happy about getting to Halloween plan with Sally. Deep down, though, he also felt a little twinge that he had done his best to shake while gathering the candles. '_Why did I tell her she's the only girl I've ever kissed? I know I want to be more honest and open with her, but still…I hope she doesn't think I'm silly or strange._' Jack had felt so vulnerable for that instant of time right after admitting that fact to her. And there was also that fear again of her not liking new things she might get to know about him…how sensitive he could be, how lonely, how unsure. Still, he was glad he had at least given her some small new piece of the truth about him. '_I just wish I knew if sharing that much with her was the right thing to do right now. I think it was. Or at least I hope it was_.' Jack sighed and went back to laying things out with a smile while Sally took everything in with great interest and eagerness.

Thus Jack and Sally commenced their Halloween planning as the afternoon wore on.

* * *

_Some time later, getting on into evening…_

Jack and Sally still sat on the sofa together while on the coffee table were strewn almost a dozen sheets of papers bearing various notes and diagrams and plans, and the candles were burning quite low now after so much use.

"Now, Sally, we've worked out some basics for almost everything else so far for this year's parade…so won't you please finally tell me what you want your new extended part to be in our Halloween this year?" Jack asked with a grin, leaning in close to Sally on the couch.

Sally just giggled and looked away humbly. "Oh Jack, really, anything's fine. We can just add another line of singing to the part about the wind in my hair, and that should fill up the extra time easily enough."

Jack only grinned more. "Oh, Sally, if you still want to have the wind blowing through your hair, that's perfectly fine, but I really do think you could add something just as spooky as Oogie's shadow over the moon if not spookier with the extra time you'll have now to really express yourself like everyone else has."

Sally's smiled picked up a little on one side and she looked to his eye sockets. "Do you really think I could actually do something scary for Halloween, Jack?"

Jack nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Sally! Why, you could…you could…um…hmm…" Jack blinked several times and paused. He suddenly realized that until this moment, he had never tried to think of any scary ideas for Sally to do regarding Halloween. After all, looking at her, she didn't exactly scream 'scary.' She was soft and delicate and beautiful and had the lightest, prettiest voice, and those big expressive eyes that just glowed like moonlight… Jack sighed dreamily to himself and managed to ask before getting too lost in his thoughts, "U-Um, pardon my asking, but…what do you do that's scary, Sally?" He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I just realized I've never seen you in a frightening moment before."

Sally blinked at the question. Then she smiled and opened her mouth, as though about to answer. But then she paused and blinked again. "Ah…oh! Um…I guess I don't know, Jack. I…don't think I ever tried being scary, actually."

Jack nodded in understanding. "Oh, that's perfectly fine, Sally. It happens. Not everyone is scary right away. Actually," he smiled and shrugged, "I think you've got an advantage over everyone else. Just being scary is a little overrated, but you've got a nice, decent, half-sane personality to fall back on too."

Sally smiled more and laughed a little. "Thank you, Jack." He was sweet, but she still felt a little self-conscious now. How could she have overlooked that fact—the fact that Jack was the scariest being in existence and that she was the only person in Halloween Town with no directly scary talent to speak of? There was a definite incompatibility there…especially if they were ever to consider actually getting married. '_I'm not sure how good an unscary Pumpkin Queen would be for our world.' _She rubbed her arm nervously. "I'm not really sure where to start about figuring out what makes me scary, Jack."

"Would you like me to help you?" Jack smiled more, giving a humble shrug. "I am the master of scaring, after all. I could, um…assess you a little if you'd like so that you could get some ideas?" he offered.

Sally nodded and smiled. "Of course, Jack. Thank you. I think that's a very good idea." She put both of her hands in her lap, her posture unable to help growing a little demure. "Start whenever you'd like to."

Jack nodded. "All right then. Well, um…what are you skills first? Things you're good at or like to do, just in general?"

Sally considered. "Well…I'm good at cleaning and cooking…and I like sewing…hmm…I guess I like animals too…and that's about it." She played with her hair, frowning a little.

"Hmm…" Jack considered her words. "All right, well…those skills don't apparently seem scary, but let's keep them in mind and then maybe we can apply them somewhere." He smiled encouragingly…and then tugged at his collar a little at the second thing he would have to bring up about her in all of this. His eye sockets went to her pale blue form covered in her pretty patchwork dress. "Then, um, besides skills, there's your body and how it might scare people. Um…so, you've got stitches…can you think of anything particularly scary about them?"

Sally just bit her lip and looked down at herself for a moment in thought. "I don't know, Jack. I don't think my stitches are that scary, and you really can't see most of them anyway." She shrugged. Her stitches were just stitches—maybe a little off-putting, but not scary necessarily. She looked back up to him.

Jack just swallowed and blanched a little. "N-No…I suppose you really can't see…all of…Erm, w-well…" he cleared his throat, smiling and doing his best to continue on. "Okay then, now let's just look at general scaring skills and try to find some that might apply to you, some you might not even have considered yet for yourself. We'll go through everyone else's parts in the parade and see if there's something related that you could do to extend your own part of even if there's something you could do to help with another person's part, okay?"

Sally smiled and nodded. "Okay, Jack. We can try that."

Jack let out a sigh and began. "All right then—the disappearing clown who rips off his face. Could you add to that at all or use that talent somehow?"

Sally thought, but sighed and shook her head. "No. If I take my face off, the stuffing comes out of my head and then I can't see anything. Plus I don't know how to disappear."

"Okay then…" Jack considered more. "Hiding under the bed with the creature who lives there—how about that? Scary teeth or glowing eyes?"

Sally shook her head again though. "I'm not very flexible, Jack, it's hard for me to squish myself under a bed. And my eyes don't glow and my teeth are just hard cloth."

"What about hiding under the stairs with the creature who dwells there with spiders in your hair?" Jack suggested with a shrug.

Sally blinked and her hands came up instinctively to her hair. "Jack! I don't want spiders in my hair. That would scare me—what if I couldn't get them out?!"

Jack tried very hard not to laugh…but really, here they were trying to figure out something for Sally to do to scare other for Halloween, and they hadn't hit on anything so far although now they had apparently found something to scare _her_. Jack just smiled, doing his best to be polite and supportive. "All right, all right, no spiders in Sally's beautiful hair. Instead, you could just jump out some trash cans along with other people, or even the fountain maybe?"

Sally considered but shrugged. "I think I would just end up falling over and hurting myself if I tried to fly out of a trash can. And if I go in the fountain, it'll take days for my body to dry out."

Jack sighed and nodded, thinking harder. "All right, um…you know what, Sally, let's put aside everyone else's scary roles and what they do and focus solely on you again—your traits, your skills, your body." He blanched just the tiniest bit but continued. "Now, your skills then—you like animals. Can you think of anything scary you could do with animals?"

Sally considered but then shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I just like animals, Jack. But I'm not an expert at training them or anything. And I'd be very worried about any of them getting hurt or too scared during the celebration."

Jack nodded. "Okay, then. Um…Oh, well, for cooking, perhaps you could cook up a new brew to contribute to the Halloween atmosphere. You could even help the witches with their 'brew'—make the bath Undersea Gal gets in there a little nicer, hmm? I know it's sort of related to something someone else does, but it does incorporate one of your own unique talents at least." He smiled hopefully.

Sally considered. An image came to her mind of Helgamine and Zeldabourne stirring on either side of their large cauldron with herself trying to stir right between them and add some ingredients to her own special blend of brew. She could see them all bumping elbows and the witches glaring at her with annoyance while she just looked down shyly and waited for it to be over. Sally had a feeling Undersea Gal wouldn't be too thrilled either—what if she messed up her 'bath' after all? "I…I don't think so, Jack." Sally shrugged, smiling politely at him though just the same. "The witches sort of have a tradition together, and Undersea Gal's used to that. I think I'd just get in the way. Besides, they know what they're doing better than I would. I can cook, but they know potions and brews much better."

Jack listened to her reasoning, and (though feeling a little disappointed) had to nod in agreement with her logic. "Maybe you're right. The two of them do work best with each other…and Undersea Gal is already so familiar with how they work with the cauldron on Halloween. Hmm…" Jack considered some more. '_Nothing that could hurt the animals…cooking's probably out…'_ "What about with the sewing? Perhaps there's something potentially frightful in that? After all, it involves needles—those are sharp and scary. And it would bring attention to your s-seams." He tried not to trip up too much on that last word. "And um...I guess the concept of being permanently attached to something or having someone permanently attach you to something could spread some fear. What do you think?" Jack smiled hopefully.

Sally thought about it, but sighed again as she replied to him. "Maybe. But I'm really the only one who can be sewn to myself, Jack. No one else is made of cloth after all." She tried to maintain an encouraging smile for Jack nonetheless.

Jack nodded again (doing his best, on his end, to maintain an optimistic smile). He had to admit, she had another good point. He tried to think harder.

"I could always just do the clean up at the end…" Sally suggested with a little sigh and a half smile in his direction. "It's not scary, but at least it contributes more to the celebration sort of…"

Jack just shook his head though, half smiling back. "No, no—if you want to help with clean up, by all means you can, Sally, although you certainly won't be the only one stuck doing it. But for now we're trying to find a scary thing for you during the actual celebration." Jack considered more. "Speaking of cleaning though…perhaps you could go past the moon on a broom like the witches do? I bet your silhouette doing that would look quite, um…y-you know, nice." Sally's lovely, gently curved form glowing darkly against the harvest moonlight? 'Nice' was an understatement in Jack's opinion, but it was all he could say without accidentally saying a million awkward things about her prettiness.

Sally smiled more. "Well, that is an idea, Jack. I-I don't know, though…" She bit her lip and explained. "The witches normally do that together as a tradition, and again I really don't want to interrupt their routine. And I don't have the best balance, like I said, so I don't think I would be able to fly too well. And, um…I don't really like heights." She swallowed. "When I fall from that high, almost all of me comes apart. I'm lucky if I can keep an arm safe to sew my legs and other arm back on with. It's a very nice idea, but I really don't think flying across the moon on a broom is for me."

It was a shame to lose that potential vision of Sally glowing high up against the moon, but with everything she had just said, Jack had to agree that a broomstick ride was out too. "I'm sorry, Sally. I should have realized…And I'm trying to just put you with other people again, aren't I? I'm sorry. We simply must find you your own scary thing, or at least your own role to play in a larger scary thing that goes on."

Sally almost smirked and couldn't help herself as she responded without missing a beat, "Maybe the witches and Undersea Gal could use a fourth for chasing you after the parade to tell you how wonderful and scary and desirable you are? I'm sure if we teamed up that I could come up with something original to distract you long enough for them to finally get their hands on you." She giggled a little.

"Oh, no, no, they always chase me _after_ the celebration is over, and we really should find you something to do during the actual para—_Sally_!" It had taken Jack a moment to really process what she had just said, and now he sat there with wide eye sockets and his face blanching. He didn't even know what to say. "I-I…um…that's not…I-I have never encouraged…" He bit his lip and suddenly remembered his brief fantasy from back when he had been trying to determine when exactly he had fallen in love with Sally…how he had recalled that Sally never chased after him with longing each Halloween, but then had imagined her doing so…Jack's breaths grew a little shallow, and he quickly pushed the image away.

"Jack…" Sally moved up close along side him, smiling more, "It's okay. It was a joke. I know you don't like when they do that." Sally giggled softly and gently laced her fingers with Jack's on the sofa. He _could_ have liked being chased, he could have adored all the women following after him, and he could have picked one of the witches or Undersea Gal for his dearest friend. But he hadn't because he hadn't wanted them. He had only picked her, only given her a kiss. Sally felt just a touch of a rare emotion for her—pride—in this moment.

Jack swallowed, trembling a little inside at her fingers lacing with his and her closeness. He barely glanced at her…and suddenly decided to give her another little bit of the truth inside of him. "If…" he swallowed again, "If you ever…um…did what they did…that I would like. I-I mean…" he was blanching so much, "…Not that I want you chasing me, that's so desperate. I just…I like when you're affectionate with me…like this." And then he gently squeezed her hand and moved a little closer to her so that they could rest slightly alongside each other as they sat.

Sally blinked, her eyes lighting up a bit and her lips curling into a little smile. "Really?" she asked, her leaves fluttering. "You'd like that from me?"

Jack swallowed and nodded. "Yes…I like the idea." He let out a very deep sigh. "But then again, I don't. You're my friend along with being my dearest friend. If you chased me seriously like that, I'd like it but…it would be very confusing to me. I don't know, it's hard to describe. All I know is that it might have been flattering when the other women would chase me, but I never really liked it. But the idea of you chasing me is…different." He glanced at her hesitantly, blanching entirely. "I'm sorry, Sally. That sounds so odd, I know. I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, I think I just…wanted you to know."

Sally looked back at him with wide eyes, a bright smile, and her cheeks a lovely glowing violet. Then she giggled. "Oh, Jack…it's all right to feel that way and to tell me about it. We are courting, after all." She turned more towards him.

"Really?" Jack raised an eyebrow, still looking shy but smiling a little more now.

Sally nodded. "Yes, Jack, I promise. In fact…" Her eyes hazed a little and she leaned in just a bit more, a very pleasant smile upon her features, "Now that you mention it, the idea of me chasing you does sound sort of fun." She cleared her throat lightly and then clasped her hands together over her heart and made her voice cooing and enraptured sounding. "Oh Jack, you're a rag doll's fondest dream. You make walls fall and the mountains crack, Jack! You're the most terrifying, ghoulish, horrific demon of the night there ever was. Oh just let me touch your coattails, please!" Just as Sally then giggled and playfully lunged forward to grab him, a stunned Jack pulled back a little to the arm of the sofa where he now rested with his eye sockets wide and breathing heavily.

Sally smirked at him a tiny bit and then just sighed and shook her head. "Jack…" she spoke normally again, "I'm just having some fun with you. Like a joke. Come on…none of those other girls could ever catch you. Let's see if _I _can." She leaned in a little closer, her eyes hazed and her smile growing. "It'll be fun. Besides, I like getting to tell you how sweet and wonderful you are." She giggled and looked away shyly.

Jack still looked a little petrified for a moment as he tried to absorb her suggestion._ 'She wants to…she wants to_…' But then… '_Oh…a joke. So it wouldn't be exactly like when the other women do it—they're always so serious in how they come after me. But with Sally it would be like playing_…' Jack smiled a little. _'I never had anyone to play with much before. And as long as we'd be up here where we have privacy and no one could see…And as long as she really does like me that much and wants to…._' "Oh, um…okay, Sally. I think I understand. And perhaps you're right—it might be fun." He shifted a tiny bit closer to her.

Sally giggled…and then gave a little lunge forward to catch him in a hug again.

Jack popped back toward the arm of the sofa just in time for her to miss him. He smiled more and even chuckled a little.

Sally giggled and moved closer and tried to snatch him again, but he proved too quick once more.

Sally smirked a little. "It's not fair, you know—you're so thin and agile after all…"

Jack just shrugged and smirked back at her. "And it's not fair that I don't have any more room on the sofa to move away from you to keep you from catching me…"

Jack and Sally looked into each other's eyes for a moment, communicating something…

And then Jack was up from the sofa, dashing away across the living room, and Sally was up, chasing after him and giggling with her arms outstretched. "Oh Jack, I adore you! Please be mine, oh scary Pumpkin King!"

Jack laughed heartily as he ran from her (though he wasn't trying terribly hard to actually get away so much as just to keep an arm's distance from her). "No, no, that's perfectly all right! I'm very busy being scary and stealing holidays after all!"

Sally laughed more too. "Oh, but can't you just hold me, or make a scary face, or sing something to me!? Oh Jack, you don't know how terrifying you are, just terrifying! You're the master of fright, Jack!"

Jack grinned ear to ear as he darted away from her carefully. "Yes, yes, I know, but I'm very brooding and solitary, I really should stay alone!" A little something inside of him twinged at the 'joking' words, as they did ring of truth…. He had always felt like he was supposed to be alone, different, outside of everything somehow as the leader, and it had always made him sad. But now to laugh and joke with her—something in him lightened about the sadness he had felt. He let himself stay still for a moment and then quickly dart away again just as Sally was going to grab him, and then stood still and darted away once more, teasing her playfully.

Sally, meanwhile, was just giggling and so very happy—she had never dreamed she would get to chase after Jack one day, let alone in private up in his house and knowing he wasn't nearly so averse to the idea of getting caught by her as he had been with all the other women. "Oh no, I know better, Jack," Sally countered, almost nabbing him. "Believe me, you'll like being with me better than being alone. That's what a dearest friend is for." Jack had stopped again for a moment to tease her, but rather than dashing to catch him like before Sally paused too now a few feet from him. She smiled sweetly and leaned close, batting her eyelashes at Jack with a playful giggle and tilting her head coyly to the side.

Sally watched with delight as her actions made Jack really seem too distracted to move for a moment. In fact, he almost stumbled from his weight shifting the wrong way on his feet. Jack blinked a few times, his eye sockets wide, and replied to her. "I-I…well…you…do make a compelling point. Being together with someone is nice...especially a dearest friend." He smiled sweetly.

Sally's smile warmed even more and she nodded. "Yes, very nice. Jack?" she cooed very delicately, leaning closer.

Jack swallowed, his smile trembling a little. "Yes…?" left him softly, almost shyly

Sally's smile curled at the ends more. "Um, you have a loose thread…" She raised her hand and delicately pointed at a place near his collar.

"Oh, really?" Jack blinked and looked down at the unexpected information, glancing at his jacket and shirt. After all, if anyone could detect even the most minor of sewing issues, it certainly was Sally.

Sally giggled and then quickly came forward as he continued to be distracted and put her arms around him with a big smile. "I caught you, Jack. And don't worry, I was joking about the thread." She hugged him, cuddling against his chest.

Jack had taken in a little gasp of air at her sudden hug, but then of course he became so warm all over that he just smiled and melted into her embrace. He hugged her gently too. "Very clever, my clever Sally. You caught me."

Sally giggled. "Are you happy I caught you, Jack?" she asked softly.

Jack's smile softened and grew. He nodded and softly replied back, "Yes. Without question." His smile picked up a little on one side. "Are you happy you caught me, Sally?"

Sally smiled more and let her eyes blink open to look up at him. "It's a dream come true."

Jack's eye sockets then went wide, and he felt very strange for a moment.

He wasn't sure what it was, like an odd feeling of deja vu coming over him out of the blue in response to what she had just said. Why? Who knew? It was just a phrase, a common phrase—'like a dream come true.' It just rang through him in a very strange way, was all.

But Jack just blinked a few times and smiled nonetheless as he replied to her. "I'm glad to hear that. It's been a dream come true for me too." He gave her a little extra hug and then pulled back, separating them. "That was fun, Sally…Some of the most fun I've had in a very long time actually. Thank you. I don't know how to repay you." He smiled down at her. (But as Sally smiled in return and replied back to him, it clicked with Jack how he might repay her….)

Sally giggled. "Oh Jack, I'm just happy you had fun. You should get to have more fun. You don't have to repay me though…um…Jack?" Sally blinked and leaned back a little. Jack had just taken a very graceful step right back toward her, putting them close again…and he had the funniest little smile on his face.

Jack chuckled and put a bit of charm in his voice. "Oh, but I insist. I'd love to repay you." Sally looked confused, and Jack just smiled more and leaned in a bit closer, looking into her eyes. "You're quite worthy of being chased too, you know…."

Sally blinked and a little squeak almost escaped her as what he was suggesting clicked. "J-Jack…" Everything inside of her danced wildly. Jack wouldn't…he wouldn't…Oh she would never be able to escape him, and she would nervously stumble everywhere, and what would he do with her if he caught her?! Sally was overwhelmed…but she also wanted to know. "I am…? Really?"

Jack nodded. "Mmm hmm. If you want to..." He added the last question politely and softly. "I don't want to overwhelm you."

Sally blushed and looked down, wringing her hands humbly in front of herself. "I can't run fast. And I lose my balance, like I said."

"I'll give you a head start. And if I see you falling, I'll race up behind you and catch you," Jack assured warmly.

Sally sighed and looked up into his eye sockets, so full of care and so easy to trust. She smiled dreamily and finally nodded. "Okay Jack…" left her in the lightest whisper. "You can chase me if you want to." Sally swallowed and then took a few steps backward. Jack didn't follow at first. She took a few more steps. He still didn't follow. She rolled her eyes. "Oh Jack, I don't need _that_ much of a head start. Give me a little credit." She laughed.

Jack laughed too and finally took a step or two in her direction. "Better?" he asked with a little smirk.

"Better," Sally nodded in satisfaction. Then she bit her lower hip. And then she turned and dashed off across the room, doing her best to run but mostly just dashing along as quickly as she could while trying not to lose her balance from the movement or from all the giggles of anticipation that were pouring forth from her. "Jack!" she called out happily as she continued to run around.

Meanwhile, Jack chased after her, though he wasn't actually trying to catch her just yet of course—he just kept up at a nice pace behind her and laughed quite a bit himself, his arms reaching out in her direction. "Oh Sally! You're so nice and clever and pretty and wonderful! Please let me have you! At least let me touch your dress!"

Sally giggled like mad, glancing behind her as she ran around the coffee table. "No! I'm Sally, I'm just supposed to be your quiet little friend, remember? The one who you always smile at and say hello to and who always looks so shy when she says hello back to you, the one you always catch staring at you and being near you at the oddest moments." _'I can't believe he's being so passionate!_' she thought to herself giddily. '_Oh Jack, this is wonderful!' _"I couldn't let you have me, Jack! That would ruin my whole secret!" He had chased her around the coffee table, and now they had a touch of a stalemate as they were both at opposite ends of the piece of furniture, waiting to see which of them would finally pick another direction to run in.

"Ooo, a secret?" Jack asked with a grin. "That only makes you more intriguing! Please tell me! I want to know why you're always so shy with me and why I find you in all the strangest and most wonderful places. Oh Sally, don't you realize you're a skeleton's fondest dream?" He winked at her playfully.

Sally just giggled and then darted across the room again, looking back at him. "No, I can't tell you my secret! And skeleton's don't dream of rag dolls, silly!" Sally was utterly elated right now of course, though inside somewhere she felt the memories of old pains surface a little…Fearing never being able to tell Jack how she felt because what if he just lumped her in with every other woman in town who only wanted him to love them because he was the king and the scariest. And fearing that they wouldn't work out even if he did give her a chance…and fearing that even if he did like her a lot, a rag doll wouldn't be his first choice for a Queen. _'But he really does seem to like me no matter what. I'm so happy_.' Sally felt so good inside.

"Ah, but I do hope that catching you will finally make you tell me your secret!" Jack, meanwhile, winked at her as he followed in 'hot' pursuit. "And what do you mean? If rag dolls can dream of skeletons, then skeletons can certainly dream of rag dolls. Sometimes skeletons just take a little longer to realize their dreams than rag dolls do." Jack's pace slowed a little, and the smile on his face softened. He suddenly felt that strange sense of deja vu from before. But why? He was just playing and joking about Sally being his 'fondest dream.' He wondered what was causing the strange feeling.

Sally noticed his slowing and she so slowed too, turning around to just gently glide backward away from him. "It's okay if skeletons take a little longer to realize their dreams…" She looked at him tenderly. "…Skeletons can be very busy, being Kings and everything."

Jack still moved toward her, though he was just walking now. He looked down a little, his smile fading a touch more. "But sometimes skeletons can also be quite selfish…and that's no excuse."

Sally blinked and her steps backward stopped. "You're not selfish, Jack," she replied simply and softly.

Jack paused now as well, and he still looked down. "No. I am sometimes. Sometimes I get very wrapped up in my own ideas and my own whims. And I was quite selfish about the whole Christmas thing. I almost left the town without a leader. And I almost left Christmas Town without a leader too. And I almost hurt you…" He sighed very deeply.

Sally frowned. She took the few steps back toward him. "Jack…My dearest Jack…" She bit her lower lip and reached out, touching his arm. "Did you love Christmas?" She tried to catch his eye sockets.

Jack blinked once, he was quiet for a second, and then he replied, "Yes. I did love Christmas. I still do. I like new things. And I like knowing now that there are different holidays to celebrate." His gaze met hers a little.

Sally smiled a little more. "And…do you love our town?"

Jack's head came up. He nodded. "Oh yes, yes, of course, I love our town and everyone in it very much. They're my friends, my family. All I've ever really wanted is for them to be as happy as possible and to get to share in that happiness with them."

Sally's smile grew. "Well, then it wasn't selfish of you to try to share something you love with all the people you love. I think it was very brave and considerate…even if it was a little misguided, Jack. You were just overwhelmed by how much happiness you thought you could bring to everyone and yourself. You're a very enthusiastic person—and it does wonders when you put that trait to the best use even if it can lead to some problems if you make a mistake. But you tried your best to make everyone happy, and you even cared enough about Santa to think that you were giving him a break from his holiday just like you wanted from Halloween. There's no shame in that, Jack."

Jack smiled in a touch of wonder. "Then you really don't think I'm a selfish and foolish old skeleton, Sally?"

Sally shook her head, coming closer to put her hands on his shoulders and gaze up at him. "Definitely not. I think you're generous and brilliant. Even about me… You found me in danger and you saved me, Jack, just like I knew you would." She sighed softly and rested her head against his shoulder. Then she giggled and added, "And you're not old. The dead don't age, silly. You just are how you are…and you are a very nice young skeleton man."

Jack was grinning and blanching a little, and he chuckled, his eye sockets full of warmth. "Thank you, Sally. And, oh of course I saved you, Sally. I'll always save you if you need it. And you saved me first. You save me right now just by being here." He put his arms around her to give her a gentle hug.

Sally giggled. "You're welcome." But then she moved her head back to look up at him, raising an eyebrow. "But, Jack, I didn't save you…or anyone actually. I messed up at saving Santa. I tried but…" Sally didn't want to think about it. It had been very scary getting trapped by Oogie Boogie. She didn't want to dwell.

Jack shook his head though, smiling more. "You bought me time so I could save Santa, and by doing that you saved me from damaging a holiday forever. And then you save me now by being here and being my friend. I was a little lonely before I found you, Sally. But now I have you here with me. You're my dearest friend. I trust you more than anybody else and…I'd only ever chase you around the house for fun, or have 'moments' with you on a hilltop, or tell you something about how I feel about my mistakes." He looked into her eyes. Still though he wished…there was so much he wasn't telling her yet, things about his deepest loneliness, things about longing, things about the devastation he had felt to hear her screams come from Oogie's lair, things about how he could almost never forgive himself for what he had put her through Christmas night, and of course the things about his fears over how he could make a mess of their relationship just as he had made a mess of the holidays. But maybe very soon he could open up to her completely, just like Flora had encouraged him to do.

Meanwhile, inside, Sally felt her heart twinge with guilt. Jack trusted her so much, but here she was coming up with pretenses to keep him in the house and away from the town hall, avoiding telling him the truth about the Doctor, keeping from him her concerns about the depths of his feelings for her. But Jack didn't deserve such deception, and she didn't like the part of herself that was perpetrating it. No, she had to tell him everything…and it had to be _tonight, _during their date, she decided. She would not stall until morning. "Thank you, Jack," Sally replied softly, moving as close as possible and looking into his eye sockets, her voice tender. "I know you didn't mean for anything bad to happen. I know you'll never let anything bad like that happen again, that you won't put any more holidays at risk. You know better now, and now we can just care about what's important again. The town and everyone's safety…and us."

For a second, just for a second…Jack felt almost nauseatingly guilty. Did she mean she would think he was doing something wrong if she knew he was visiting Valentine Town? Would she not like that? Would she consider that to be putting something at risk? But then Jack blinked and of course remembered that what he was doing regarding Valentine's Day and what he had done regarding Christmas were two totally different things. He wasn't stealing anything or planning to take over Valentines Day, he wasn't abandoning Halloween (hadn't he and Sally just spent a few hours going over plans for it, after all?), he wasn't doing anything that could remotely endanger others or himself and leave the town without a leader. No, his actions were perfectly acceptable. And he looked forward to sharing them with Sally and maybe even taking her on a little trip to visit Valentine Town. That would be nice. And he did still want her to meet Flora. He still liked the idea of a friend for Sally. Jack nodded to her. "Of course, Sally. I'm here to stay, and I won't try to steal a holiday or let anything bad regarding something like that happen ever again. You have my word." He smiled sincerely down at her.

Sally's smile brightened. She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she pulled back and sighed happily. "Thank you, Jack." She nuzzled into his shoulder a little.

Jack gave her a little squeeze, his arms still around her. "You're welcome, Sally. And thank you as well."

The two remained like that for a few quiet, happy moments.

Then Jack grinned. "Hmm…you know I guess all of this isn't helping us very much to figure out what makes you scary." He laughed a little.

His laughter made Sally laugh too, and she moved back a little to gaze up into his eye sockets. "I don't mind if you don't…" She blushed a little again.

Jack smiled more and put one of his hands over one of hers on his shoulder. "Not at all. I like you just like this, actually. Everyone here can be scary…but only one person here is special enough to be Sally."

Sally just beamed at that reply! "Oh Jack…"

Jack chuckled, and then he blinked as a thought occurred to him. "Hey…I caught you." He stepped back and squeezed her hand a little, holding it high in 'triumph'.

Sally blinked at first but then chuckled too and rolled her eyes. "It seems that way, I guess. You're not bad at chasing girls, Jack. I-I would say you should have tried it years ago…but I'm happy you only tried it with me."

Jack nodded. "Me too."

Sally giggled again. Then she looked up at him with a little smirk. "But…have you really caught me, Jack?"

Jack blinked and looked down at her with a confused smile. He squeezed her hand once more. "Hmm, well, I do have you in my grasp, so I must say yes, my darling."

Sally grinned. "Don't be too sure, silly skeleton. Dolls are clever, remember?" And then without warning she pulled a thread from an upper seam on her arm, detached it from Jack's grasp, and dashed off again with a giggle, leaving behind a very confused-looking Jack holding a severed blue cloth arm in her wake.


	12. Private Calm Before the Public Storm, 2

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 12:**

**The Private Calm Before the Public Storm, Part 2**

* * *

"OH!" Jack almost stumbled as he suddenly found himself no longer holding an entire rag doll but rather now just a rag doll's severed arm… '_Her arm? Her arm!_' "Oh!" He jumped a little and accidentally tossed the appendage up into the air but then remembered the precious thing that it was and caught it again, hugging it close to his body with a slight gasp.

And meanwhile Sally was still just laughing and running from him. Though now as she realized he wasn't following after her, she turned around and looked at him with a curious smile. "Jack…what is it?"

Jack just looked back and forth from the arm to her. "Sally! You…isn't that…aren't you…You're dismembered!" He dashed over to her, cradling the arm like it was the most important thing in the world and appearing quite panicked to say the least.

Sally blinked, now feeling really confused. "Yes. Did I do something wrong?" she asked, feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden. Come to think of it, she never really took herself apart in front of other people—just the Doctor sometimes to escape from him. Did Jack possibly think she was weird for doing something like that so casually?

"I…it's just…" Jack stood before her now, distress still apparent in his features (though the agitation in his tone had calmed down a little at least). "Does it hurt?"

Sally blinked again and shook her head. "No, of course not. Just like how it doesn't hurt when you take off your skull or something, Jack. I wouldn't have done it if it would have hurt me." She smiled.

Jack watched her with a touch of worry for a moment longer, but then as her explanation absorbed he let out a deep sigh of relief. "Oh, um…of course." He blinked a few times and smiled a touch sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Sally. I suppose I'm being silly. Everyone around here takes off parts of themselves from time to time." His smile warmed a little. "I guess it's just hard to see someone you care about a lot do that."

Sally's smile warmed too. "And seeing someone you care about insist every Halloween on doing backflips in the air over hard cobblestones and jumping from high up into a small, shallow fountain and setting themselves on fire isn't easy to see either, Jack. I was always torn a little about those things, and the Christmas stuff with the sleigh ride too. " She smiled more. "I always wanted to tell you to stop being so reckless…but I know it's part of who you are. And it's also very impressive and dashing sometimes to watch." She giggled a little. Then she sighed, grinning, "Still though, I always wanted to make you stop showing off so much so that you could take care of yourself more."

Jack listened with interest to all of this. She had really been concerned all these years about his antics, his stunts, his daring adventures? He felt bad for worrying her, but still, how sweet of her to care from afar all that time. And she thought he was impressive and dashing? "I guess I can be a little reckless." He shrugged and smiled. "But…" Jack took another step toward her. "If it means I catch the eye of pretty dollies, I don't mind the risks. I'll try to take better care of myself though, just like I said this morning." He winked at her.

Sally felt chills at his approach and wink and smile and words of assurance. He really could be so dreamy. "I-It's okay, just do whatever makes you happy, Jack. And just know I'll be here caring about you the whole time."

Jack smiled more, his gaze dreamy. He sort of wanted to hug her now. But then he remembered…. "Oh, um…your arm—do you want it back?" He held out the limb a little toward her. "Oh and speaking of reckless just, um…promise me that you'll always be careful when you take a part of yourself off. I don't want you to lose anything." He laughed a little. "Once when I was playing with Zero near the lake, I lost one of my bones in the water. They had to dredge the lake to find it."

Sally smiled. "It's okay, Jack, I won't lose anything. And even if I did misplace my arm or something…well, I'd just let it come right back to me."

Jack was about to ask her what she meant when suddenly the arm in his hands sprang to life! "Ah!" Jack gasped, breaths shallow, as indeed the arm wriggled around, then hopped from his grasp, dashed over to Sally on its fingertips, gave her a little wave (she giggled) and then dashed right back over to Jack and jumped up into his arms again! He almost wanted to drop the arm and run, and yet he clung to it once more since it was still a part of his precious Sally. He was about to offer it back to her again when suddenly he found himself watching, his eye sockets wide, as the arm didn't seem quite done with its little adventure. It moved a little as it settled itself in his hold, and then its little hand faced him and opened with a start, almost seeming to suggest surprise on the arm's part at realizing who was holding it. Jack couldn't help smiling curiously at the interesting reaction.

Then the arm started to have a little too much fun…. It looked away almost shyly only to then tiptoe its fingertips up the side of Jack's arm (a little tremble went through Jack—the experience was very strange and yet…the idea of Sally doing something like this to him seemed very nice). When the fingertips found their way to his shoulder, the hand nuzzled his cheek, played with his bat bowtie…and then finished by playfully trailing a fingertip down once or twice over the buttons of Jack's shirt.

At first Sally hadn't realized what was going on with her arm. Now, though, blushing and looking uncomfortable, she quickly walked the few steps over to Jack and interrupted things before they could go any further. "S-Sorry. Um…sometimes if I don't detach my limbs for a little while, they get a little restless." She took the arm from Jack's grasp, holding it close to herself and looking at it in a chastising way. She whispered to it a little. "That's enough. I know you like him, but there wasn't any need for that." The arm looked a little abashed, its hand turning away and downward. Sally smiled, speaking a bit more softly to it. "It's okay. You were surprised. I know it's usually the Doctor who has you. At least you didn't bop Jack on the head." She giggled and the arm seemed happy again, the hand turning back towards her. Sally shook her head and turned, walking over to the sofa and sitting down with her arm.

Jack (trying not to blanche too much at how 'affectionate' Sally's limbs could be apparently) walked over to the sofa as well and sat down next to Sally and the arm. He was quiet at first. Then he started, unable to think of anything else to begin, "You can…talk to your arm then?"

Sally blinked and looked to Jack (she had been stroking the arm gently and glancing at a few different colored spools of thread in her dress pocket, trying to pick one for stitching it back on). "Hmm…Oh. Well, yes." She smiled. "Don't you talk to your bones, Jack?"

Jack blinked and shook his head. "No. My bones don't, um…my bones are just bones. If one comes off of me, it doesn't really do anything. I didn't expect your arm to do anything at all either."

Sally frowned a little and blushed slightly. "Do you not like it?"

Jack shook his head, eye sockets wide. "No! I-I like everything about you! I mean…" he looked down, blanching a little, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I was just curious. I mean, I know everybody's talents and abilities around here inside and out, and I have for a very long time. And here we are, trying to come up with something for you to do for Halloween, and I think I know everything I should know about you, but then I realize I really really don't. I—Oh!" Jack gasped a little. He had gotten so caught up in his apology that it seemed Sally's arm felt sorry for him and had now tiptoed back over to him to pat his hand. Jack let out a breath, trying to move past his surprise, and gave the arm an appreciative smile. It was sweet of the limb to care so much about him…it was sweet of Sally to care about him too.

Sally herself, meanwhile, was smiling beside him, and she nodded in understanding. "Jack, it makes sense that you don't know some things about me. After all, even if we are courting now, I've always been very shy, and I've never really shared much about myself with you during our friendship. But you can ask me about my limbs, Jack, or anything else. I don't mind…and my arm doesn't mind either." She laughed softly and looked down a little sheepishly at her limb and then back up to Jack. "I'm sorry if my arm scared you at all though. She—er, I—we didn't mean to, I promise."

While Sally had been comforting him, Jack had just been smiling down at the arm's hand and taking this chance to examine this piece of Sally, the stitches and cloth…. And what was she stuffed with exactly anyw—"Scared?" That word from Sally stopped Jack's inquisitive thoughts in an instant. He looked at Sally in utter surprise…and then he smiled warmly. "Sally," Jack almost laughed—he had to in order to keep himself from maybe actually realizing that he might have been scared, just for a moment… "I don't get scared. I'm the Pumpkin King. I do the scaring. I-I was just…startled. A little surprised by your arm, that's all." He shrugged. Then he looked down as Sally's arm let his hand go, faced toward him for a moment and then drummed its fingers in a clear touch of disbelief. Jack blinked and then glanced away with a little swallow.

Sally raised an eyebrow at first. Then she smiled. Jack really had always had an ego, hadn't he? Her smile grew. "Oh, I see." Her tone became light and playful. "Well, it's too bad you weren't scared then. I bet you're really cute when you're scared, Jack." She leaned in toward him a little, her eyes hazed.

"I'm sure I'm not…um…r-really?" Jack swallowed, feeling himself blanche at the idea. What was she doing? Telling him he must look cute when he was scared?! What kind of thing was that to say to the feared Pumpkin King? And how could he actually maybe be liking the idea of being scared if it meant he looked cute to her?

Sally just nodded, leaning in a little closer, making her gaze a little dreamier. "Oh yes, I'm sure of it. After all," she tried not to giggle, "you were only 'startled' just now, and you looked very cute. So when you're actually scared—oh, if you ever do get scared of course, my Pumpkin King—I bet you look just adorable." She had to giggle now, she just couldn't help herself.

Jack blanched and looked down into his lap, eye sockets wide. Cute was hard enough for him to deal with but adorable? Was she trying to make him faint or something? And how odd was it that with anybody else he would have taken adorable as an insult, but with her it made him feel like aspiring to adorableness as much as possible? "You were cute when you were scared of the spiders in your hair." The words left Jack softly before he could even think about them much.

Sally blinked, but then remembered earlier when he had suggested her doing that for Halloween and her reaction to it. With her attached arm she touched her hair. "Um…thank you."

"I bet you're adorable when you're getting scared by things at Halloween." Jack chuckled, his eyes hazing. He couldn't help himself.

Sally smiled uncontrollably and bit her lip and looked completely downward. "I-I hope…so…" she managed to murmur. Could Jack really find her cute? Adorable? Just as she found him? The idea practically made her giddy inside.

Jack smiled pretty uncontrollably himself and looked down.

The moment was very happy. And so, naturally…Sally's arm wanted to join in. It laced its fingers with Jack's and began to gently touch and savor each little bone of his hand.

"Ah…oh!" Jack all but jumped at the sudden sensation, a strange warmth building in his rib cage and his fingers contracting and then relaxing and trembling a little in the grasp of Sally's arm

Sally saw what the arm was doing and quickly picked it up and removed it from Jack. With the limb safe in her grasp (and a light blush present upon her features), she looked down and tried to smile a little and mumbled to Jack. "S-Sorry…Um…sometimes my parts also get a little restless if they're _un_stitched too long. Y-You should see what they would do to the Doctor whenever he had hold one of them—my legs always kick him and my arms always try to bop him in the head. My arm was just happy you were happy and she wanted to be near you, Jack, that's all." She shrugged.

"Why would Doctor Finkelstein have one of your limbs?"

Sally looked up to see Jack looking back at her, an eyebrow raised. She bit her lip and did her best to think quickly of a reasonable (and somewhat truthful) reply. "Oh, um…well…I-I am a little clumsy, Jack, so sometimes I would trip or pull a seam and lose a limb. And, um…if the Doctor found one of them while I was out and couldn't come home for a while, sometimes m-my limbs would get restless waiting for me and then start to bother him. That's all."

Jack blinked and smiled again. "Oh." He really didn't know why he had asked the question. Her comment about the Doctor had just seemed strange, he supposed. But she had explained it, and her reasoning made as much sense as anything else in this insane world of theirs. "And, um…it's okay about your arm and your hand, Sally," Jack added, smiling more. "I understand. You—she—you both were just being affectionate with me. And I told you…I really like when you're affectionate." And, honestly, it had just been holding hands…even if it her fingers had entwined with his very intimately in that moment and touched him with a delicacy he had never dreamed of before…and even if earlier when the arm had first 'come to life' it had touched him rather 'extra' affectionately as well in a way that still made him blanch to think about. Sally's limbs really must have personalities of their own, Jack thought, for one of them to do something so very different from the normal reserved actions of Sally. Yet still the limb _was_ a part of Sally, so did it not retain even a little bit of her preferences or her own will? In other words, did the pieces of Sally really just operate on their own terms or did they say something about her personal desires as well? It was certainly a notion worth pondering…. In fact, Jack suspected it would be an interesting preoccupation of his for quite some time.

"Um…thank you, Jack," Sally murmured in reply. She then just focused on her arm, placing the severed end of the unattached limb near the severed end of her upper arm. She had a feeling the sooner she got her arm reattached, the better. '_At this rate, it'll start holding out one of my fingers to him for an engagement ring if I don't get it under control soon.'_ Sally sighed, trying to keep herself from blushing more as she grabbed a spool of thread out of her pocket. She was upset with her arm, and yet, strangely enough, Sally also found herself feeling…sort of jealous of the limb. Sally couldn't feel the things her body parts felt when they were detached, so her arm had gotten the experience of touching Jack in all of those ways just now and sadly she had not. But maybe, if tonight they could talk, things could progress and she could touch him gently…and he might hold her…. '_Please let everything work out for the best_,' she hoped to herself silently. '_I have a good feeling it will, but still…_' Sally took a deep breath and tried to put such thoughts away for now as she began to unravel some of the spool of thread.

"Um…Sally?" Jack's voice broke upon her ears and made Sally pause in her actions and glance up a little at him. He looked to her with a small, sheepish smile. "You know, I know I was only 'startled' before by your arm…but that's close to scared, and there actually might have been a little bit of 'being scared' sort of mixed in with it…." He cleared his throat, going on. "So I can't help but wonder if you could do something with your limbs for Halloween that would be scary to everyone else. What do you think?" He shrugged, appearing as optimistic as he had with every other idea for her role in Halloween.

Sally blinked at the suggestion. Her limbs? "Jack, that's nice of you to say, and I appreciate you still thinking about what could make me scary, but I'm not really sure how I could do that." She looked up at Jack hesitantly. "The parade is a very big thing, and it might be hard for me to get any of my limbs to come back afterward if I took them off and they got too overwhelmed by all of the celebrating. And I'd also need some way to get around or someone to help me while my limbs were off of me. And besides, with so many other things going on, I don't think people would pay enough attention to me falling apart for it to scare or even 'startle' them much." She shrugged. "I'm sorry, Jack, I know you're trying.

Jack still just smiled warmly though. "Well, it's a thought for now. Just promise me you'll keep thinking of ideas and trying to find the best way to celebrate Halloween for yourself, Sally? And that you'll share any other ideas you might have with me, for yourself or for anything else?" he encouraged.

Sally smiled more and nodded. "Okay, Jack. I'll let you know if I get any ideas. For now though…" she took up the end of the thread from the spool with her attached hand, "I think I should get myself back together before all of my leaves fall out." And indeed there were a few pieces of leaf scattered here and there on the floor already. Sally glanced up at Jack with half a smile. "Sorry, I'll clean it up, Jack."

Jack just smiled at her and shook his skull though. "Oh no, really, don't worry about it, Sally. Leaves are a part of Halloween after all—a perfect decoration for the Pumpkin King's house." He chuckled.

Sally smiled more and giggled. "Oh, yes, I suppose that's true." Then she looked to the thread resting in her lap and sighed. Normally, of course, she could sew herself together with one hand in a cinch. Right now, though, she felt quite nervous about trying to do it. It occurred to her then that she was nervous about the idea of being closely watched while she sewed herself, and by Jack of all people who was sitting right beside her. And that nervousness suddenly couldn't help but make her clumsy: the spool of thread fell out of her lap and she had to snatch it up and put it back, she had some trouble unwinding more thread from the spool with her one hand, and she took a needle from her hair but then dropped it in her lap and had to search for it among the patches of her dress.

Meanwhile, Jack watched her politely at first but then couldn't help but offer softly, "Do you need any help, Sally?"

Sally almost blushed a little at the question, glancing up at him. "Oh, um…I think I'll be fine, Jack. I'm just a little tired, I guess. Um…normally I can do this in only a few seconds, even with one arm, really," she smiled sheepishly. "It's just that I…well…um…I don't know…" she finished in a mumble.

"Sally, it's all right," Jack quickly assured. "We were just talking about your arm so much that you're probably a little self-conscious now. If you do want any help though, I'm here for you, even just to hold the spool of thread or something small."

Sally smiled, and it instantly occurred to her that there was one thing very helpful Jack could do for her. "Well, there is one thing…" she held up the thread and needle in her attached hand. "Will you thread the needle for me, Jack? That's the hardest part of trying to do this one handed."

Jack smiled happily and nodded. "Of course. Anything I can do, my darling!" He took the needle and thread from her. Then he held up the end of the thread with one hand and held up the needle with the other and pushed.

The needle didn't thread.

Jack blinked and looked at the items curiously. He tried it again this time, slowly. But the thread just bunched up against the eye of the needle. No threading.

Now he pouted in frustration and looked very intently at the thread and needle. He pushed very, very slowly. Still nothing.

Jack frowned very much now. "I…I'm sorry, Sally." He bit his lower lip. "I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong."

"It's okay, Jack," Sally assured, smiling warmly at him. "You don't sew much, do you?"

Jack blinked at the question. "Um…no. Never, actually. I always just had the witches mend things if I ever needed it." He considered more. "Sewing…it just seemed like it would require a lot of patience and time and detail, and I'm normally so energetic about things that I never thought I would be very good at it, I guess, and so I never tried."

Sally nodded. "That makes sense, Jack. But still it's a nice habit to practice—it keeps you calm and focused, and it lets you think. You should try it sometime if you feel you're under stress. I think you would like it." She smiled more and added, "Anyway, about the thread, just stick the end in your mouth to wet it a little with the tip of your tongue. That'll make it firmer. And then you just hold up the end of the needle and the thread close to your eyes, and gently bring them together. And that should thread the needle. All right?"

Jack nodded. He opened his mouth to insert the thread, but then hesitated for a moment and looked at her again. "Um…my tongue's forked, Sally. It doesn't have a tip. Will it still work?" he asked sincerely.

Sally blinked and blushed a tiny bit but managed to nod in reply. "Y-Yes, your tongue will work, Jack…as long as the thread gets wet."

Jack, just nodded again, and then proceeded to follow her needle threading instructions. It took him a light push or two but then, lo and behold, the needle threaded.

Jack smiled brightly. "Oh thank you, Sally! That worked perfectly!" Then he blinked and held out the threaded needle to her. "Oh, um—for you, of course. I hope it's close to as good as you would have done with it."

Sally giggled. "Jack, it's a threaded needle—there's no better or worse way to do it. But thank you, it's just perfect." She took the threaded needle from him and then got her severed arm into position. She knew the sewing was going to be a tiny bit difficult (as it usually was whenever she lost an arm) and that she was still a tiny bit nervous about doing this with Jack watching her, but she would manage. And maybe by watching her, Jack might even learn how…to…to…

"Jack…" Sally paused before starting her first stitch and looked up at him with a smile.

He had been watching her limb with interest, and now at being addressed he looked to her eyes and smiled at her again. "Yes, Sally? Anything else you need help with? Should I hold your arm steady for you maybe?"

Sally smiled a little more. "Actually…" she held out the threaded needle to him, "…A second pair of hands is always nice for sewing myself whenever I lose an arm. So…would you like to sew my arm on for me, Jack? You could get practice with sewing. It'll be easy, I promise."

Jack blinked, was speechless for a moment, and then words started tumbling out of him in stutters. "O-Oh, I don't, um…Sally…I-I really don't know what I'm doing, a-and I wouldn't want to mess up, and it's sweet of you to offer, but…" Sewing Sally? He would bungle that in an instant, he knew it.

"You won't mess up…" Sally soothed warmly. "It's impossible to mess up on me, Jack. I'm a rag doll—I'm just a bunch of pieces of cloth randomly put together. And you can go slowly, and I'll help you. And also it really would be nice for me to have someone around who knew how to put me together in case I needed it." That really had been one comforting things bout living with the Doctor—he knew how to put her together. It would be nice to have that same comfort from Jack. "But you don't have to if you don't want to," she added politely and sincerely, "I know it's a little awkward to ask."

"N-No, um…I mean…well…" Jack sighed—Sally had such faith in him, and it seemed like him doing this and knowing how to do this really would help her…. Besides, it was sort of an intriguing idea: holding a piece of Sally's body and putting it together. He wanted to try, he realized. "I-I could try to sew you." Jack blanched a little and then blinked and quickly added, "But, Sally, you're not just pieces of cloth randomly put together. I mean, you're much more, you're…crafted so nicely." He glanced away from her shyly.

Sally tried not to blush too much. "Oh, um…thank you." She did her best not to giggle. "I-I guess what I meant was, um…it's not like my seams have to be sewn a certain way or anything. They can go and look any way at all. You can even make new seams, and it's fine. So you don't have to worry, Jack. Whatever you do will be all right, and I'll help you, like I said."

"I'll do my very best, Sally." Jack's eyes returned to hers, and he smiled once more. He reached out then and took the threaded needle from her.

Sally smiled and put the ends of her severed limb together, and then used her attached limb to hold them out toward Jack.

Jack seemed fine for a moment, but then as he looked down, holding up the needle, he hesitated. "Um…so I just…put the needle in near where the seam should be?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. And don't be afraid to push a little. The cloth of my skin is a little thick. Just push until you feel it go through. Then the needle will hit the leaves inside, and then just guide the needle to bring it up through the cloth on the other end of my arm, and then put the needle through the loop of thread and pull to make a knot to hold the thread in place. Then once you have the knot, you just keep guiding the needle down through one end of my arm and up through the other end before you tie it off again with a knot at the last stitch. It's a lot simpler than it sounds, I promise."

Jack still seemed a little unsure, but nodded with determination. "Okay. Here it goes…" He put a hand on the side of her arm to help steady them both, and then brought the needle down to her cloth skin. He bit his lip and pushed. The needle didn't go through right away, and that scared him a little ('_Um, s-startled, not scared, heh_…' he quickly thought to himself). But Jack pushed a little harder until suddenly the needle went through! He blinked and then looked up at Sally and smiled. "Hey, it went through, Sally!"

Sally giggled. "Yes, it did. See, I knew you could do it. Now just keep going and don't think about it too much." She smiled more. "Thank you for your help, Jack, I really appreciate it." Inside, she shivered as she felt Jack proceeding to sew her. She didn't know why, but the action just felt so intimate to her. Whenever the Doctor used to stitch her up after running away, his attitude and insistence on strapping her into the lab table first had always made her so mad! Even if she was a little grateful for his help, who was he to act all superior—like without him she would just fall apart into a pile of limbs and never be able to save herself? She could put herself back together just fine, in fact! And now, even if she ever couldn't, she would have Jack to help her. Indeed, it felt absolutely wonderful to have Jack helping her like that right now, taking his time and putting in so much tender effort all for her care. She moved closer to him on the sofa. "Thank you for taking care of me, Jack," she murmured gratefully.

"N-No, problem, Sally…" Jack murmured back with a little smile. "Um…and do the stitches I'm doing feel too tight or too loose or anything like that?"

Sally shook her head. "No, it's perfect. The Doctor would always make them too tight, but yours are just right." She smiled more.

"Oh. Good…" Jack continued stitching. Inside, he was trembling and felt warm. He hadn't touched her for this long or this closely before. Sure, there had been that night he had spent cozied up with her in her room, but he had been asleep for that. But it was so nice to really touch her skin now, to get a close glimpse of her seams, to feel himself gently working with her body. She made him very curious, and he felt a twinge of that compulsion he'd always had to know more about curious things. He did his best to suppress such thoughts for now though and to keep himself calm and focused on his task. "The shade of your cloth is pretty," Jack suddenly commented, unable to help himself (and also hoping some conversation might make him feel a little less nervous).

Sally's grin picked up on one side and she blushed a little. "Oh. Um…thanks. I-It's nothing special—just sort of blue."

Jack smiled a little more and glanced up at her a little. "It's like ice and moonlight. I really like it. And it looks splendid with the color of your hair."

Sally smiled fully and looked down. "Thank you," was all she could murmur. Then she swallowed and added, "Um, I like the color of your bones, Jack."

Jack blinked, almost faltering in his gentle stitching, and glanced up at her more fully now. "What? Sally, my bones don't have a color."

Sally blinked and met his gaze again. "Yes, they do." She leaned closer, letting herself see the color of his skull from close up. "They're not just white, they're…a warm white. Like ivory. It's nice. It makes you seem warm too."

Jack's eye sockets went very wide, and then he looked down to his stitching again with a trembly smile upon his lips. "I never thought of that. I-I'm glad that you like the color, then."

Sally smiled and sat a tiny bit back again as she and Jack turned her arm so he could continue sewing around the broken seam.

Jack cleared his throat, attempting to continue the soothing action of conversation. "So, um...do you need me to get anymore leaves for your stuffing before I finish the seam, Sally, or do you have enough inside of you even though you lost some?"

Sally smiled and shook her head. "Oh no, it's fine, Jack. I only lost a few pieces. But thank you anyway."

A touch of relief came to Jack's smile as he glanced to her eyes. "No problem, Sally." He looked downward again, continuing to sew, and then chuckled a little to himself.

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Something in your mind, Jack?"

Jack blinked a couple of times and shrugged. "Oh, um…never mind, you'll think it's silly."

Sally blinked. "Silly?" She smiled more. "No I won't, Jack. Of course not. What is it? Please tell me."

And of course Jack could not refuse such a simple, sweet request. And so he told her. "I never thought you would be full of leaves. I thought that you would be full of white fluff—like the bears."

Sally raised an eyebrow again. "Ah…bears?" She hadn't been sure where to begin, so she had picked there.

"The Christmas bears. The stuffed ones." Jack looked even more awkward now. He sewed a bit more quickly. "For learning about Christmas, I took some stuffed bears and dissected them, and…they were full of fluffy whiteness. So I thought you might be full of the same thing." He sighed, glancing up at her and pausing in his sewing now. "I'm sorry. That's very silly. I don't know why it occurred to me. And you're not a bear, of course. But I didn't want to dissect that little dolly I got from Christmas Town. I could only find one to take, and I figured she must be just like the bears inside, but the bears all got ruined after I dissected them. And I tried to put them back together, but I kept just ending up with two-headed bears or no-headed bears or bears with scary grins every time I tried to piece them together." He shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "I can't seem to make anything that isn't scary when I try. I'm afraid I'm doomed to be the essence of Halloween forever." He sighed and chuckled, unable to help himself.

Sally looked back at him, torn between an intrigued smile and a little frown of sympathy. "Jack, even if everything you create has something to do with Halloween, I think your creations are beautiful. So what if you couldn't make a traditional Christmas teddy bear—I bet your Halloween bears were very unique and that people would love them for what they are, just like people love you for who you are." She swallowed and then added softly, "And it's not strange that you would think I would be full of white fluff. It was nice of you to think about me at all. But, no, I'm just leaves inside…so I guess both of us are doomed to always have something of Halloween about us." Sally could control her severed arm now since it was only a few stitches away from being reattached, and so she grasped his lower arm with her hand and squeezed it gently.

Jack had just been making the closing knot on Sally's seam, and as her hand squeezed his arm he blinked and the thread snapped, leaving his sewing done. Her words were so sweet... He gave a very small smile and whispered softly to her, "I always think about you now, Sally. I like to get to know you. And…if we're both 'doomed'," he chuckled, "I'll be happy as long as we can be 'doomed' together." He looked into her eyes, something dreamy in his eye sockets.

Sally trembled, and a wobbly smile came to her features. "Yes, together…Okay, Jack," she cooed softly and giggled.

Jack's smile grew a little and he leaned a little closer to her. "I'd like that."

Sally's smile grew too. She felt her breaths growing shallow at his closeness. "M-Me too."

Interestingly enough, Sally felt a compulsion to kiss Jack now very different from the ones she had felt so far since Christmas. It wasn't a desire to hold him and kiss tenderly for as long as they could manage, nor a desire to get lost in some heated moment of passionate kissing with him…It was just a desire to give a small kiss to his lips just for fun. But if she did, would she really be able to control herself afterward? She still wanted to talk to him about her thoughts about their relationship so far and of course the Doctor. She couldn't let herself be distracted again. It took a lot but she managed, with a blush, to just smile softly and glance away shyly. "You're so kind, Jack. Thank you…" she whispered.

Jack meanwhile, was trying to control a compulsion or two of his own. She was so close and acting so shy again. He liked shy, shy worked on her, and shy apparently worked on him quite a bit too. Shy made him curious, made him want to …"Hmm…" Jack sighed softly through his nose and then pulled back. He had just given the corner of Sally's mouth a lingering little kiss.

Sally just sat there, eyes wide, her face all rosy. Her smile grew considerably.

Jack smiled back at her so warmly. "Dearest friends for eternity…. It's a date then."

Sally giggled and then leaned over and kissed his nonexistent little nose. She pulled back, beaming. "Okay, it's a date."

Jack beamed quite a bit himself. Then he sighed softly and looked down to his sewing once more. He blinked, realizing that he had completed everything. He looked up and held out the needle and thread to Sally. "Here you are, darling. Your arm's all reattached, and thank you for the sewing lesson."

Sally took the items, slipping the thread into her pocket and the needle into her hair. "Thank you, Jack. And thank you again for taking care of me like this."

Jack smiled graciously. "Of course." Then he touched her other arm with his other hand and smiled. "Come on, Sally. I'll help you bring your sewing machine up to your room for now. We can work on it up there next time since that's where you'll be using it anyway, all right? And then down here for now we can do a little more work on the Halloween plans and then rest a little before our date tonight." Jack prepared to stand up from the sofa.

Sally nodded and prepared to stand up as well. "Of course, Jack, we'll—O-oh! Ah!"

"Whoa!"

There was a small commotion as the two lovers stood up, and then suddenly toppled, and now Jack and Sally lay fallen to the floor together between the couch and the coffee table!

Of course both of their first reactions were to try and stand again and figure out what had happened. Yet, such efforts proved futile—no matter how they moved, somehow they both remained stuck on the floor.

"I-I'm so sorry, Sally, here, let me lift my arm and—"

"Ow! Jack, why did you pull my arm?" Sally blinked and pouted.

Jack blinked and frowned. "But, I didn't, I just raised my arm and—"

"Ow! Jack!" Not that Sally really felt pain, but it was never fun to feel a limb yanked a way it shouldn't go.

And now, lying there tangled up together, both blinking and examining their limbs, Jack and Sally understood why Jack raising his arm would cause Sally to feel her arm yanked upward.

It seemed Jack had accidentally sewn his coat sleeve to the seam on Sally's arm.

At the sight, Jack's eye sockets went wide, and he instinctively, in his embarrassment, tried to move or pull himself from her instead of just up from the floor. Yet, his efforts only caused them to topple more and for Jack to twist the wrong way, and then… "Oh!" Jack breathed heavily, looking down with wide eye sockets. It seemed now he was lying on top of Sally. He blinked several times, just staring at her as he tried to catch his breath and process their change in position.

Sally blinked once, realized what had happened, and then couldn't help a bright little smile coming to her lips. She almost wanted to giggle too actually at the nice little thoughts that started to cross her mind in this unexpected moment. Thoughts like how Jack's weight upon her was a bit firmer than she had always imagined it would be—did that mean he was stronger than he looked? Interesting…. And thoughts about how she had never imagined him so close to her on a floor of all places. And thoughts about how, in a way, this moment together was much more intimate than that simple night they had spent together with his arm around her. And thoughts about how she had always wondered what Jack might do next in a situation like this with her…and thoughts about what she wanted them to do together that she felt she would be too shy to admit to anybody ever (except maybe him one day very privately in the future)…

"Um…heh…" Meanwhile, Jack just smiled sheepishly, feeling more and more awkward with each little movement and shift of his body. "Um, sorry…" He took a deep breath and then managed to get off to the side of her again, though it took him a moment and hadn't been easy. She was very, very soft, it seemed, and it was hard for his thin bones not to sink in her warm cloth a little. And it was difficult to push away from a woman in general apparently since every place you touched to do so seemed more awkward than the last. It was just like trying to get himself away from her on the floor when he had woken up last night but infinitely more difficult. Now, however, Jack was off of Sally finally and the two were lying side by side.

Jack let out a deep sigh and just frowned, lifting up his skull and glancing at Sally. "I am so sorry, Sally. I can't believe I did that with your seam. You must think I'm so silly." He sighed and closed his eye sockets, and then let his head rest on the floor. "And I made you fall too. I'm sorry," he added sadly.

Sally, turning a little on her side to face him, blushed and gave him a happy smile…. But then that happy smile quickly became a light giggle which quickly became warm laughter that she couldn't help.

Jack opened his eye sockets and then cringed a little. She was laughing at him. But who could blame her? He couldn't even sew a seam properly._ 'She's a master seamstress and I'm a grown man—she must think I'm ridiculous.'_

Sally noticed Jack's sad look and instantly got herself more under control, though she still smiled a lot. "Oh Jack, I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you or anything. It's just…it's funny. I don't think you're silly, and you don't have to apologize. It's funny—we're sewed together. Is it really so bad, Jack?" She smiled more and moved a little bit closer to him.

Jack blinked, looking a little shy first, but then finally couldn't help smiling too. He even laughed a little. "I guess it's a little…a little…" He laughed more. "Yes, it's funny, Sally."

The two shared a warm chuckle together, then finally sat themselves up side by side on the floor.

"I'm still sorry that I messed up your seam, Sally. If you want, I can remove the thread and try again," Jack offered with a smile.

Sally smiled in return but shook her head. "That's okay, Jack. It's only a few stitches that have us together. Here…" She looked closely at the seam, found the three or four stitches binding them together, and then tugged at a little piece of thread that quickly snapped, setting them both free. "There, all better."

Jack's coat was fine and Sally's arm just had a little opening near the seam. "Thank you, Sally." Jack looked to the seam. "Do you want me to sew up that little hole?"

Sally shook her head. "It's okay, Jack, I'll just take care of it later. And besides you've already done so much for me with trying to learn to sew and letting me help you with Halloween plans and working on my sewing machine."

"I know," Jack shrugged. "But I love helping you, Sally, and you help me too. It's been a wonderful afternoon. Even if I do have to go to work tomorrow, I'm happy we ended up spending today together." He sighed. "I know it must be boring for you here when I go out. You're like me, Sally—you like having projects. That's why I'm so happy you liked helping me with Halloween planning, and that's why I promise I'll get your sewing machine up and running very soon, that way you can help people with your expert seamstress skills and create any new designs that come to mind and so you can make yourself as many lovely patchwork dresses as you want or even do repairs on yourself more efficiently if it's necessary."

Sally felt a twinge of guilt as his determination to make her sewing machine work and at his admission of having loved staying here with her today instead of going to work. But then the full extent of his sweet compliment processed, and she had to smile just a little. "You really think my patchwork dresses are lovely, Jack? And that I'm an expert seamstress?"

Jack blanched a little and smiled more. He nodded. "Just as much as you think I'm the 'master of fright' and that my pinstripes are cute, Sally."

Sally beamed a little. "I'm happy you like my style, Jack."

Jack's grin picked up on one side. "I'm happy you like my style too, Sally."

They were quiet and happy for a moment, and then sighed Jack and addressed her softly. "Sally, maybe we should put aside anything else and just take a rest before our date tonight. I'd like to start it a little earlier than usual. I have some things I'd like to talk to you about."

Sally raised an eyebrow but did smile and nod. "Of course, Jack, we can start earlier. But, um…what did you want to talk about? Is everything all right?"

Jack blinked. "All right? Oh, of course." He smiled reassuringly. "I just wanted to talk to you about some things and about us. That's all." He shrugged…and then a yawn he couldn't help overtaking him. "But I really could use a little nap first. I haven't been sleeping well, I think." He blinked a few times, his eye sockets drooping a little, though the smile remained upon his lips.

"Oh. Okay, Jack." Sally nodded and tried to smile again as she added, "Um…I wanted to talk to you a little too, actually. But I think you're right, a little nap first might be helpful, and then we can go out and spend the evening together. I'd like that." Her smile became more confident.

Jack's smile faltered just a little now though. "Um…I'm glad, Sally, but…is everything okay? There's nothing wrong or troubling you that you need to talk about, is there?" He frowned slightly.

Sally swallowed but shook her head. "N-No, not really. I just wanted to mention some things, that's all."

Jack nodded and tried to let his smile return. "Oh. Okay. Well, we'll do that then."

Sally took a deep breath and nodded too. "Yes…okay."

They just remained smiling at each other, looking into each other's eyes tenderly. Then Jack's grin picked up on one side a little and held out his hand to her. "May I help you up, my fair lady?" he asked sweetly.

Sally giggled and put her hand in his with a nod. "Of course. Thank you, my dashing Pumpkin King."

Jack stood and helped pull her up with a warm grin. "You're quite welcome, my, delightful dolly."

"Thank you, Jack." Sally smiled more. "I had a very good time this afternoon. I can't wait for tonight."

Jack nodded. "Me either."

"And I can't wait for Halloween," Sally added. "I think it will be our most horrible yet."

Jack chuckled and nodded again. "I think it will be too."

Sally smiled a little sheepishly, glancing down. "And…will you mind having a dearest friend for Halloween who might not end up being able to scare anybody?" She shrugged.

Jack blinked at the question. Then he tilted his skull to the side and smiled all the more. "Only if you won't mind having a dearest friend who, for better or worse, isn't really good at anything but being scary." His grin grew. "The two headed bears—remember? And you should have seen me trying to cut out paper snowflakes—they all turned into spiders webs." He laughed.

Sally had to laugh too. "Oh, we'll work out something, Jack, for next Halloween and for next Christmas." She put her arms around his neck and smiled up at him brightly.

Jack blinked and looked at her with interest. "Sally, you'd really celebrate Christmas with me again? Even after I messed everything up so badly."

Sally nodded. "Of course, Jack. I wouldn't help you _steal_ Christmas—that would be wrong. But celebrating is fine. It would be nice to be able to celebrate all of the holidays one day actually. And even if only you and I want to celebrate, we could make a nice little Christmas together, don't you think?"

Jack positively beamed. "I…I…oh yes, I do think so, I really do!" he shouted and suddenly picked her up, twirled her around and give her a beautiful kiss right on her cheek before setting her down. "Thank you, Sally, I would love that! You're the best dearest friend there ever was, and I adore you!"

Sally just stood there, smiling and looking a little dazed. "Uh…oh, um…of course, Jack. No problem." She blushed and giggled.

Jack chuckled. "Oh dear, I didn't mean to overwhelm you, Sally. I'll tell you what, you get upstairs and take that little nap we talked about, and I'll take mine down here, and then we'll go on our nice, peaceful rowboat date in a few hours. And don't worry, I'll take care of cleaning up down here. All right?" He gently turned her in the direction of the attic door.

Sally regained some composure and just nodded dreamily. "O-Okay, Jack. Thank you. I'll take a little rest, and then I'll see you soon." She walked over to the attic entrance (wobbling quite a bit as she did so, much to Jack's amusement). As she reached the pull down stairs and let them descend, she paused and turned back to Jack with an adoring gaze, giving him a little wave. "Bye for now, my Pumpkin King."

Jack waved too, looking a little dreamy himself. "Bye for now, my Sally doll."

Sally giggled to herself and turned away, starting to head up the stairs.

Jack sighed blissfully and turned back to their Halloween planning to clean everything up…and maybe to spend some time adding some finishing touches to their designs as long as the plans were out.

He had to pause though as Sally suddenly descended a little and ducked her head back in the room. "And, Jack?" she called sweetly to him with a little grin.

"Hmm?" Jack looked over his shoulder at her with a smile. "Yes, darling?"

Sally smiled a little more. "Don't spend this time you're supposed to be using to rest doing more with the Halloween plans, please. You've done a lot already—we both have. So just put them away for now and please really do take a nap. For me." She frowned a little as she added, "You're starting to look a little pale…even for a skeleton."

Jack almost wanted to laugh at her knowing him so well. But he knew to take her advice seriously as well. And he figured the 'pale' comment was probably true. He really was starting to feel worn out more and more ever since Christmas. And so he sighed and smiled and gave her a gracious bow. "I did make you a promise that I would take better care of myself, and I will fulfill that promise. I will just clean up and take a nap, Sally. You have my word."

Sally's smile grew. "Thank you, Jack. Goodnight for now." She kissed her palm and blew it to him.

Jack smiled warmly and then kissed his bony palm blew it to her as well. "Goodnight for now, Sally…" he whispered in return.

Sally gave Jack another little wave and then disappeared entirely.

Jack waved as he watched her go. And then he did turn around and just simply put away the pencils, protractors and other such tools, and rolled up the Halloween plans they had dreamed up so far to put them aside on his desk. Already he could feel himself yawning again. He sat down on the sofa for a moment, taking off his jacket.

The feeling of a weight in his jacket made him pause and investigate.

Jack smiled. Of course—in his breast pocket was another little bag of candies from Flora. _'Oh, why not? I do like sweets. And she did always say to eat them before bed. Nap time must be just as good_.' Jack took out a couple of candies and ate them. They tasted strange and wonderful as usual.

A few seconds passed, and Jack just felt more and more tired. He felt like he could have fallen asleep right out here. Come to think of it, though, it really was a comfortable sofa, and it sort of smelled like Sally now, and his jacket didn't make a half bad pillow…so that's exactly what Jack did. Barely a moment later, he was indeed resting on the sofa with his skull propped up by his jacket and his eye sockets closed, a big smile on his face. And as he breathed in and out, the name Sally started to be audible in his sleepy whispers.

Jack's skeletal grin grew.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! I really hope you all enjoyed this, and I'm sorry for the cliffhanger ^^ But I promise, more drama and romance to come with Jack's third visit to Sally. Things escalate quickly lol. Please review, and thank you again for reading!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	13. Jack's Third (and Final) Visit

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the start to your summer (I have to work a ton this time of year, so mostly I'm full of sleepiness more than enjoyment lol.) ^w^ Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter—Jack visits Sally again…and we also get to see some of what the town's been up to and what they think of Jack's absence : ) And, as the title says, this is the last time Jack visits Sally because of those candies...though it's certainly not the last time he ends up in her room in this fic ;) Thank you for reading, and please review if you can!

Here we go!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 13:**

**Jack's Third (and Final) Visit**

* * *

"Town meeting! Town meeting! Town meeting right now!"

The Mayor's voice boomed out of his megaphone as he stood by the entrance to the Town Hall (wearing his panicked face, naturally) while the citizens filed in one-by-one for the emergency get together tonight which had been organized only a few hours ago and scheduled for sunset.

Suddenly from behind a nearby building, Lock, Shock and Barrel dashed toward the town hall and hid themselves in a shadow along the side of the building. There the three children rested for a moment, catching their breaths.

"Okay…" Barrel (who sounded the most winded of all) announced, wiping his brow and speaking between pants, "I vote we stop…messing around with these bugs…and go back to doing nothing…. It was easy and fun. I'm much better designed to do nothing."

Lock nodded, leaning on his pitchfork a little. "Shock, I'm starting to agree with him. Seriously, it was bad enough getting barely any sleep when we were just hiding out in the tree house waiting for Jack. But now we're not getting any sleep at all _and_ we're running all over town and back and forth to the tree house…and who knows what'll happen if this ends up working out in some weird way?"

Shock sighed deeply, scowling at the two boys. "_Look…_" She straightened her dress and spoke as calmly as she could (so as not to attract attention from any of the other nearby citizens), though her tone almost burned with impatience, "Let me go over this one more time. If something is happening with Oogie Boogie, or whatever's left of him down there, it's going to happen whether or not we're a part of it." An angry smile came to her features. "But at least if we're a part of it then maybe if he does crawl up through the shoot in our home to say 'hi' he won't SKIN US ALIVE AND BOIL US IN OUR OWN BATHTUB FOR SOUP!" She shouted the last words in the loudest restrained voice possible, seething with frustration.

Barrel blinked and stumbled back a little, clinging to his lollipop. "But why would he want to hurt us? We helped him get bugs _and_ get Sandy Claws." He grinned. "He'll probably _reward_ us!"

Shock glared at him. "_And_ we also helped the Mayor get to his lair so that Jack and Sally and stupid Sandy could be saved, you ninny!" She bopped him on the head. "He is NOT going to 'reward' us!"

"Ow!" Barrel rubbed the spot she'd hit. "But he wouldn't know all of that!"

"I don't know, Barrel…" Lock suddenly added, a hand to his chin as he thought, "Maybe she's not just being paranoid and bossy as usual, maybe she really does have a point."

Shock grinned and nodded. "Thank you." Then she blinked as the wording of his comment processed and scowled. "Hey!"

Lock stuck out his tongue at her but then went on. "Oogie Boogie could know that we sided with Jack in the end, or at the very least he could find out. After all, Sally was there that night, and no one's seen her since. If some part of him finds her before we do, she could tell him, or anyone else he caught would tell him too except maybe Jack of course. But Jack's gone all 'brooding' again." He rolled his eyes.

"Exactly." Shock sighed, shaking her head, her usual frown returning. "The point is, there's no harm in getting in good with again him if he's coming back, and if he's not coming back then who are we hurting? We're just letting things play out and looking out for ourselves." She smirked. "Who could blame three trick-or-treaters for doing that?"

Barrel sighed and nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Okay, I guess…. But speaking of Sally, can we please just find her soon so we can finish with this stupid plan? I'm sick of having to sleep on cages and cages of bugs in the tree house."

Shock sighed and gave him a nudge as she moved past him. "Why do you think we're here, dummy? It's a town meeting—Sally always goes to those. She's bound to show up…or at the very least Dr. Finkelstein is bound to show up and maybe give us a clue about how to find her. Now quit complaining, and let's listen already!" She crept closer to the stairs to observe the entering citizens.

Lock nodded with a smirk and crept close beside her, and Barrel rolled his eyes but smirked and joined them as well.

"Town meeting! Town meeting right now!" The Mayor announced again (his panicked face still clearly on display of course). "We have a lost citizen, and she must be found!" He glanced around, and then suddenly his eyes lit upon a familiar figure in a wheelchair approaching (and being pushed along by a figure who looked almost like an upright doctor, though she was a woman). The Mayor came toward the top of the ramp along the side of the stairs and lowered his megaphone. "Dr. Finkelstein, there you are. Rest assured, we'll find Sally and figure out if anything is going on with Oogie Boogie." Despite the assurance, his tone sounded distressed to say the least.

Lock, Shock and Barrel's eyes all went wide at this information about the nature (and intention) of this particular town meeting. The three looked at each other and then back to the party talking.

The Doctor merely sighed and nodded to the Mayor as he and Jewel reached the top of the ramp. "Thank you. I'm sure this meeting will help. I just wish Jack were here. Is there any sign of him yet?"

The Mayor sighed and shook his head. "No, not since a few days ago in town. The lights are on in his house frequently, so I think he's at home. But I haven't wanted to disturb him, not after everything he's been through. But I know this is an emergency. If you'd like I can take the town car and try to pick him up and bring him here."

Dr. Finkelstein considered but shook his head. "No, no…the boy is tired, let him rest. I'm sure this matter can be resolved simply. We can make a thorough search and then only bother him if it's necessary."

The Mayor nodded. "Very well, Dr. Finkelstein. I just hope Jack really is well." He put a hand to his head. "Everything with him has been so strange lately. It worries me so much."

The Doctor nodded, looking down with a pensive frown and scowl.

And from their place in the shadows, Lock Shock and Barrel looked at each other, grinned, whispered some things to each other and then hopped onto the steps in full view of everyone. And as they proceeded to enter the town hall behind the rest of the citizens, they each made several 'loud' announcements.

"Gee, I can't believe no one's seen Jack in so long!" Lock grinned.

Barrel nodded, licking his lollipop. "Oh yes—if we're having a town meeting, we should definitely focus on that problem! I know it would make me feel much more comfortable as a citizen!"

"Jack's definitely the first priority! After all, if we fix the problem of getting him out of his house back into town—however long that takes—he can fix any other problems we might be having all on his own later when he gets a chance!" Shock offered, trying to make sure as many people as possible (and specifically the Mayor) heard her. "Jack's the key! Forget anybody else for now…"

The three children chuckled as they scurried into the town hall.

The Mayor looked after them with about as much extra unease as he could add to his already uneasy face. Then he looked back to the Doctor and his companion. "Jack really could help us. And we really should probably talk about him along with Sally as long as we're having a meeting, Doctor."

The Doctor sighed but nodded. "I agree. As long as everyone's here, we might as well deal with that issue as well."

The Mayor nodded too. And then, as everyone else was already inside, he turned and waddled into the town hall, the doctor and Jewel following behind him.

And as she pushed the Doctor along, Jewel (feeling a little shy and overwhelmed by suddenly finding herself thrust among the whole town like this) sighed and thought quietly to herself. '_Logically, they're right—finding Jack first makes the most sense. Still though, poor Sally…I want to be able to find her too and quickly, even before Jack, even if that's illogical.' _As the town hall door closed behind them and she continued moving along behind the Doctor's chair, her brow furrowed and she sighed. '_Of course the easiest situation would be if Jack and Sally were __together__ waiting to be found. But I suppose the scientific odds of that fact happening are quite slim_.' She shook her head and then wheeled the Doctor to his usual place in the auditorium (while the trick-or-treaters silently and strategically placed themselves throughout the audience) and waited for her first town meeting to begin.

* * *

Sally lay upon her sofa in her room with one of the throw pillows in her arms, her eyes closed, and a content smile upon her lips. She was preparing to daydream until she fell asleep for her nap. That was how she had always fallen asleep back at the doctor's house: she would just curl up in her bed with her one raggedy pillow in hand and then sigh and close her eyes and daydream until the fantasies melted into real dreams. The practice was very pleasant, and it seemed like such a fitting finish to all of the romantic progress she had made downstairs with Jack today as well as a good way to relax before their upcoming date and her upcoming talk with him about the truth of her circumstances and her feelings. Sally smiled more to herself, letting out a content, restful sigh. And she took a great deal of comfort in thinking that Jack was enjoying a similarly peaceful repose right now downstairs himself.

While wisps of daydreams came in and out of her imagination, Sally's sleepy mind wandered to other thoughts now as well. '_I wonder what Jack dreams about?'_ She bet he had the best nightmares, very creative and very frightful. He was so brilliant and smart and so complicated after all—that skull of his could probably dream up things beyond imagination. All she ever seemed to dream about were little things that she always found scary—locked doors and bumps in the night and thinking for a moment that she had forgotten to do all of her chores and that the doctor would be so cross with her he would lock her up again! And then of course there were her dreams about Jack…not scary, but so private and nice. Some nights when she woke up from those dreams she would just lie in bed in the dark smiling…imaging Jack was there alongside her, stroking her hair and asking her if she was sleeping well.

Here in her little tower room, Sally smiled more and hugged her pillow more closely. _'That must be so nice, to have someone near you to comfort you while you sleep.'_ In that case, she wouldn't need to dream of Jack anymore—she would just be happy being near him and being there for him as well. After all, considering all those deep nightmares he must have, Jack would probably like having someone beside him to gently touch his skull in the dark and smile and ask him how he was sleeping and if he was all right.

Speaking of romance and slumber, Sally sort of hoped she wouldn't have anymore of those 'intense' dreams of hers about Jack as she napped. Not that they weren't pleasurable and exciting, but they also took a lot out of her, and she could really have used a peaceful sleep right now. Besides, she was getting bored with fantasy—even a simple real kiss on the cheek with Jack was far more precious to her than nights and nights of dreams about him touching her and crooning words of love to her. No question. Sally sighed softly, starting to feel drowsy. The Jack in her dreams may have been fun, but she preferred her real Jack always. He was the sweetest man there could be, and she loved him for it…even if she did crave kisses and more with him in reality that he seemed too shy to give her just yet.

_Creak._

Suddenly, Sally heard a creak on the stair, and the sound frightened her for just a second. But then she remembered that Jack's house did tend to be very creaky as part of its naturally spooky nature. And besides, if anyone were here or anything really were going on, she had nothing to fear. She knew, from Christmas and Oogie Boogie thing, that she could take care of herself, and she could even take care of both herself and Jack at once if necessary…and she also knew Jack could take care of her.

All of her fear went away, and Sally began to let herself drift off into a nap...

* * *

That creak had been the result of a certain sleepwalking skeleton man silently easing his way up the trap door stairs towards Sally's room.

Yes, if it wasn't painfully obvious already, Sally had not been having mere dreams about Jack visiting her and touching her and professing love to her. Oh no, Jack had been eating his little bag of candies before bedtime, and each night after dozing off he would wake up with a grin and find Sally and profess some of his deepest passionate urges and feelings about her, though his conscious mind could never remember any of it. All Jack knew was that he had been sleeping well after eating those candies and that he had been waking with the sensation of being young and spry and having a spring in his step. He didn't feel brooding or sad or frustrated…He just felt happy. And happy was such a wonderful thing to feel.

Jack had certainly felt happy as he had fallen asleep on the sofa down in the living room a few minutes ago. That response to his situation might have seemed strange—after all, he was lying on a sofa that was too short for him, and he had most of his clothes on, and his only pillow was his jacket, and he didn't have a blanket. But he had been tired, and the sofa had been a soft place to just curl up and go to sleep in peaceful slumber. And, indeed, with the sweet, sugary taste of Valentine candy still lingering in his mouth and his lovely Sally to look forward to seeing later on, why should he feel anything but happy as he slept?

She still lingered in his dozing thoughts, that fairest lady. She overwhelmed him in so many ways. She touched that natural passionate part of himself—she made it tremble to its very core actually. And it was so hard for Jack not to indulge in all of the compulsions he felt regarding her which he simply couldn't help. These feelings…they were the ones that had surged in him when he had seen her sleeping near his house Christmas Eve night and had tucked her in and then wanted to kiss her. He still wanted to kiss her…but even that desire was only a piece of everything going on inside of him. He wanted, in the depths of his fantasies, to create and explore and delight all around Sally. He wanted to treat her as he had treated Christmas, only with so much more vigor and care. And he wished he could spread all of this joy to everyone, though spreading joy to Sally first would be the priority, always the priority. To exist in a frenzy of color and passion and glorious song with her was his deepest dream. Even while doing that about Christmas he had still been alone, but now he could be together with someone in the midst of his revelry, and that aspiration beckoned him so.

These thoughts all but pulsed in Jack's subconscious while he had napped on the sofa, and as they had done so his chest had risen and fallen and his breathing had accelerated. Oh he had a secret! A secret, and he couldn't bear not to share it! He loved Sally madly! And what bliss it would be to finally tell Sally everything!

And with that final thought entering his subconscious, Jack had suddenly sat bolt upright on the sofa, eye sockets hazed almost as if in sleep, and a little smirk on his features. He was silent for a moment, and then a velvety voice cooed from his throat, "I really must stop leaving my vile vixen alone for so long. She'll feel neglected. I cannot let that happen." Jack loosened his tie a little and pushed up his shirtsleeves some more. "I feel so in a daze sometimes, like I can't remember anything before her and like I'm barley there during the times between our moments. But I suppose first love will do that to a man, and especially about such a fantastic woman." He sighed deeply and rested back on his palms. "My burning love will guide me to you, my most desirable darling."

Jack had stood and instantly headed over to the staircase to the tower. He had to be with her right now. Every fiber of his being beckoned him. Sally beckoned him by her existence. Oh she was so wonderful whenever he came to her—she smiled, she sighed, she even blushed! And the way she trembled as he spoke to her and touched her, and how she admitted her secret thoughts and feelings to him, and even the way she could pass out from being overwhelmed by him…all of it was so splendid! He must be with her again, he must be there to surround her with love and to admit all of his secret passions to her! Everything! Yes, tonight, everything! Why not? He had no doubts, so why not? And the evening was still young this time, so there would be more than enough opportunity finally to weave his complete vision of love for Sally and to experience a full reaction from her!

And so now here Jack was, gliding up the stairs…and having just permitted a little creak to escape one of the wooden steps as he went along—he didn't want to startle Sally, though he did want to surprise her, and a little 'creak' was the surest way to gain her attention without letting her know that it was him who was approaching. His thoughts wandered in a daze. '_It will just be so grand to finally have the chance tell her every passionate fantasy of mine about her. And then our whirlwind romance can finally bloom to its full effect, and there will be nothing but sweet-nothings and touches in the moonlight and grand parades and gothic serenades for the two of us forever! Oh what a great plan! Much better than my silly—oh what was it called, Christmer, Jollymas…Christmas, was that it, Christmas?—yes, much better than my plans for that silly old day. A day—please. What does a day matter when I've found the woman of my dreams and nightmares?_' Jack chuckled lightly to himself and continued on his stealthy way toward the tower trap door.

Jack's creak, however, along with being a potential warning to Sally of his approach, had also summoned another being in his home. Zero, hearing the sound and awaking from a nap of his own to see his master going up to Sally's room, had smiled and gotten up from his little bed in the corner to join his master, floating up the attic stairs as quickly as possible.

Jack, seeing his little companion fly up alongside himself, merely smiled and patted the dog's head and shook his skull. "Oh Zero, it's nice you want to see Sally too, but I'm afraid I need some private time with her at the moment." He looked up to the tower trap door, his eye sockets growing even more dazed. "Oh Zero, the things I'm going to tell her…. I'm going to woo her with all of my charm and daring, and then we'll be together forever, never apart, one and the same, Jack and Sally! She shall be my Queen, Zero. Isn't that just splendid?"

Zero, however, was looking at his master in concern. Jack didn't sound quite like himself, and it made Zero worry. His master really had been acting funny lately. In fact, for a couple of nights now, Zero had come back home late from his romps in the graveyard and gone to Jack's room to sleep at the foot of the bed…but his master strangely hadn't been there. And now with the way Jack was speaking and how he looked…. Suddenly, Zero was very concerned that his master might do something to upset Sally or to upset himself. Zero hated to see anyone upset. "Rww…" He made a little concerned sound and then tugged at Jack's pant leg, trying to bring him back downstairs.

"Zero," Jack merely said confidently, shaking his skull as he paused for a moment on the stair, "Now now, this is no time for fetch or games. It's time to watch this old Pumpkin King romance the finest lady Halloween's ever seen. I shall tell her everything, Zero, and we shall live eternally in bliss together." And with that bold statement a dreamy look, a smiling Jack headed up the staircase anyway.

Zero watched in even more concern as his master went forward. But since he really couldn't stop him if he wanted to go, Zero decided for now to turn invisible and hide near the top of the stairs to wait and see what might happen. He hoped everything would be okay and that he wouldn't hear any loud yelling or sad things. His favorite time now was when Jack and Sally sat together and laughed, and he would watch them from his bed and smile. He hoped Sally would stay with them like that forever as a new best friend to play with.

Meanwhile, Jack now stood just below the entrance to Sally's room…and the smile on his skull and the gleam in his eye sockets indeed suggested even more wonder and awe (and even more potential for disaster) than had been there when he had first looked upon Christmas town in all of its glory and felt warmth and hope in every part of himself for the first time in ages.

* * *

_Meanwhile, while Jack had been finishing his ascent…_

Though her fears were gone and though she wasn't so very nervous about talking to Jack later anymore, Sally found herself unable to fall asleep. Instead she just lie there, resting peacefully, lazily playing with a little ball of yarn (something Jack had gotten her from town along with her sewing supplies), gently holding and pushing it along the edge of her makeshift bed. Yarn… '_I don't do enough knitting_,' she thought to herself drowsily. It would be nice to knit something for Jack one day. He probably got cold easily, thin, bony man that he was. That probably explained the full-length suits—he must need all the cloth he could get to keep warm. Of course, those pinstriped suits also looked very becoming on him, but warmth was probably a factor too in why he chose to wear them. She could knit him a scarf or a winter hat. Something for his head, she decided, since that was the part of him that was exposed the most.

_Plop._

Sally's little ball of yarn had plopped lightly to the floor.

Sally yawned and blinked a few times, then let her eyes close again. Maybe she would sleep, after all. But she didn't want the yarn ball getting dusty near the underside of her sofa, and so she let an arm drop down and felt here and there for the ball.

'_No…no…Oh, maybe it's too far under. Maybe I can just get it later toni—'_

Sally felt something. It wasn't the yarn ball though. It was…cloth—thin, silky, and yet…pointy? She lifted this strange thing up and opened her eyes a little.

'_Hmm…'_ Oh, she recognized it now. It was one of Jack's ties.

Sally smiled to herself and blushed a little, letting her arm drop again, the tie still loosely held in her hand. One of Jack's ties… '_How silly_…' She really almost fell asleep, but before she could do so, her mind was trying to catch onto a memory to satisfy itself about the tie. It was trying to recall when the tie must have gotten up here and how.

And Sally genuinely couldn't remember, though Sally started to remember instead that during that dream she'd had about Jack being up here with her and touching her and telling her about his feelings, he had taken off his tie…along with taking off his jacket and pushing up his shirt sleeves. But that couldn't be the right memory for explaining the presence of his tie now since that experience hadn't been real.

But…that night had been the only night Jack had been up here, so….

Sally's eyes opened. She had to puzzle this out to make sure she wasn't making a simple mistake from tiredness or forgetting an incident or confusing something. She also had to squeeze the tie in her hand to feel its reality again.

When else would (or could) Jack have left a tie up here and why? It couldn't have been here from before she had come to stay—Sally had cleaned this room top to bottom along with the others in the house her first afternoon here. She would have found it.

Sally really wracked her brain. Yet, unless Jack was sneaking up her when she wasn't around, which she could never think he would do…something did not add up.

Sally finally sat up in bed. She really didn't feel sleepy now anymore. She looked down at the tie once again and spoke to herself. "I need to ask Jack about this…if maybe it fell off in his sleep during our last date. But he ties them so tightly that it just falling off really doesn't make any sense." She sighed, her brow furrowing slightly. "Jack and I really do need to talk. Something much bigger than this tie hasn't been making sense lately…. Unless my dreams have been real. But how could they be? Jack never seems to remember them." Sally raised an eyebrow—she was stumped, but she was all the more determined to discover an answer now.

It was then that the trap door in her floor suddenly burst open.

Sally practically jumped, sitting up completely on the couch and clinging to an end of it with wide eyes as she looked toward the door. "J-Jack?" she asked in confusion

And indeed the Pumpkin King himself began to ascend into the tower fully, and Sally's eyes went very very wide at the sight of him. Jack was smiling ear to ear, his eye sockets were hazed, his jacket was gone, his tie was loose around his neck, a few buttons near his collar were undone and his shirtsleeves were pulled up once more. He looked just like in her dreams, and for a moment—"Ouch!" Sally squeaked as she pinched herself to make sure she really wasn't dreaming. But no she wasn't—there truly was Jack rising up out of her floor like some swarthy and charming and utterly romantic vision of himself from her most private daydreams or fantasies.

Sally's jaw fell. She utterly didn't know what to say do.

Then Jack turned in her direction with a particularly fiendishly enticing grin and spoke to her in a tone that would have set her off-balance legs to wobbling had she not been sitting down. "Ah, my deadliest little nightshade is awake. Oh how splendid. Tell me, were you already awake or did the little creak I let the stairs make as I snuck up here wake you? Oh forgive me, darling, if I did disturb your slumber—but my desires simply could no longer be ignored. Don't worry though, love—I'll go slowly, gently. I know you still have trouble sometimes being overwhelmed, and I promise not to make you faint, my spine-tingling lady of stitches." He took a graceful step toward her.

"Mm!" The tiniest little squeak escaped Sally, and she sat there with her eyes wide and her jaw open, blushing immensely. It wasn't even just because of the compliments and the speech, it was also, well… '_D-Did he have to say 'deadliest nightshade' of all things?'_ She snapped out of her thought and shook her head. "Jack…" Sally tried addressing him, "what's going on here?" After all, she knew she was awake right now, she KNEW it: this wasn't some 3 AM rendezvous that she could convince herself had been part of her dreams. What was going on? Were all of the other strange moments like this between them real then? And, if so, why had he never mentioned them the next morning?

Jack paused only a few paces from her and gave Sally a pleasantly amused grin. "Why, darling, your most devoted gentleman caller has just come for a visit as usual, that is all. You drive a man to madness with all of your alluring qualities—can I help if I need to be near you just to make the passions flowing through me bearable?" He resumed approaching her in his slow, sultry way.

Sally all but fell off of the sofa, but then finally steadied herself and even managed to stand, though her legs did indeed wobble. "J-Jack…" she took a deep breath and tried to control a compulsion to smile at all of his flattery. Still though, maybe this was just his way of starting to try and be romantic? Maybe he had just been too shy to own up to it at first or something? It was a long shot, but she couldn't think of any other explanation at the moment. "Jack," Sally cleared her throat, "That's all very sweet of you to say." She raised an eyebrow at this passionate Jack and added hesitantly, "You seem very romantic tonight, Jack. Did you have a good nap?"

Jack just glided around the sofa with a shrug and his dreamy smile remaining. "A nap? As though I've been able to slumber with you on my mind so eternally." He chuckled and then leaned over the back of the sofa, resting an elbow there and his skull on his hand, grinning charmingly up at Sally. "Of course, if you were in the mood for a nap…perhaps we could set up a little place up here by the fire like the other night and take one together?" Another little chuckle escaped him, and he asked in a slightly lower voice, "Could Sally doll use some more touching?"

Sally blushed furiously and looked away, taking a step back, her eyes wide again. She played with her hair. "J-Jack…" At that time, perhaps she had allowed herself to get carried away with the 'touching', but now… '_I think I liked him better when he was modest and shy. What's going on with him tonight?'_

"We have the whole evening to ourselves after all…." Jack stood up straight again, and he walked around the sofa, approaching her slowly. "You could slip into that cute little sheet of yours…" His grin picked up on one side.

Sally turned quite violet in her features and looked down. Did he have to be so forward, did he have to be so suggestive? "Jack, don't say things like that…" she mumbled with a swallow. "I-I just didn't have a nightgown yet…and I just fell asleep near you the other night because…I was sleepy."

"Oh, pet, please don't be so shy." Jack playfully pouted as he slid up right near her. "You tend to faint on me when you're shy, and then I have to wait for you to wake up before I can continue to woo you." He grinned again. "Besides, I wanted to finally share my every desire about you this evening—my deepest, most private fantasies. And I need you to stay with me so that I can finally do so." He sighed dreamily. "I want nothing more than to pour out by dead heart to you and then to embrace and kiss you, darling, for all the while the moonlight shines upon us tonight. And then tomorrow and every day afterwards can be about nothing but you, you, _you_." He had one of her hands raised up, and he was starting to kiss the back of it.

Sally blushed more, but she also blinked and frowned at Jack. Every day all about her? But… "But Jack, don't you have Halloween plans to go over tomorrow? And don't you want to finish taking down the Christmas decorations? And, and…" fantasies, desires, nighttime together? "Jack, none of this is like you, none of this makes sense," Sally managed, her concern finally winning out over her fluster even as his little kisses to her limb continued. "Why are you acting like this? Are you sick? Is there something wrong with you?" For a moment she wondered in fright whether or not the whole Christmas fiasco really had taken more of a toll on Jack than she had realized—what if he was suffering under a great mental strain from the whole ordeal? A great wave of worry came over Sally now.

"Wrong with me?" Jack's kisses finished, and he chuckled warmly before grinning at her and putting his free arm around her waist, suddenly pulling them flush together. "I am a man in love—nothing can ever be wrong with me again. From now on we'll do everything we want to, Sally: no rules, no responsibilities, no obligations. We will live in a frenzy of love and color and song!" Suddenly he spun her in half a circle and then dipped her back practically horizontally. "Oh yes, darling, I said I'm a man in love. And I love you, I love you…I love _you._"

These were the words Sally had longed to hear from Jack in real life for so long, and yet now they brought her no joy but only more worry and fear. She tried to straighten up a little in his grasp. "Jack, please stop saying that like that. You're making me very worried." Her heart felt very heavy. She missed Jack, her Jack, the Jack with all of his flaws and excessive modesty too. That Jack lacked something intensely passionate perhaps, but she believed he was just lost and needed time and help to find his way a little. This Jack, however, seemed almost hysterical with passion, more like how the other women in town had always imagined Jack must be romantically instead of how she had observed he really was romantically during their time together.

This Jack just blinked and looked down at Sally, his grin fading a little. "Wh…What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh Sally, you must be playing a little game with me or something." His smile grew again. "Why would you not want me to tell you how much I love you—how I can never stop thinking about you, how I dream about you, how I want you…" the intensity of his gaze and his voice was growing, "how I've planned for us to run away together, and then we can—"

"Jack, no!" Sally got herself completely upright again and gently pushed away from him. That look in his eye sockets… She felt like he really would have run off with her right now—like all she would have had to do was nod her head yes and he would have scooped her up into his arms and whisked her off into the night and moonlight and a life of passion burning brightly as jack-o-lantern fire. She had even dreamed about that kind of life sometimes herself. But that was fantasy. Having it in reality wasn't right, not at all, and her normally sensible and humble Jack would have known that. "Please stop talking like that, Jack," Sally pleaded softly. "You don't mean it. And you're scaring me…."

Jack raised an eyebrow in puzzlement for a second, though his smile quickly returned once more. "Oh, but I do mean it, my sensual little siren. Please just stay with me always and allow me to prove my love to you as your humble suitor." His hand came up to gently rest in her hair and along the side of her face. "Your lips beckon me. Kiss me, my love? I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come to you like this, I'm sorry we kept being interrupted, but kiss me now please, just like on our hill together? And then I'll tell you everything. And then nothing else will matter but you and I…and…a-and…" Then Jack seemed…stuck for a second. "I…" his gaze darted side to side a little, "Did…I'm…scaring you?" finally managed to come out of him hesitantly as his eyes returned to hers.

Sally blinked. That question and its tone was the closest thing to something 'her Jack' (the real Jack) would say that she had heard come out of this Jack's mouth so far. "Yes…" she said softly, nodding and looking into his eye sockets, "I'm very scared, Jack. I'm very worried about you." She frowned.

"But…I…" Jack blinked a couple of times, but then that fiery, romantic look returned to his features. "Ah but, my love, what reason is there to be scared? You have me and I have you, and you will be my haunting little vision and I will be your terrifying specter of the night, and we'll make our own holiday full of love and little scary surprises. And I will be the only one to ever frighten you, and as soon as I do I'll kiss you and kiss you to make it better."

"No, Jack," Sally said very softly, very sadly, lightly removing his hand from her hair and squeezing it, "No…I don't want that, Jack. I only want you better again."

Jack's smile really faltered now, and he blinked several times and actually staggered back a little. He was quiet for a moment. Then, "But…you don't want…and everything I planned out was…" He seemed struggling again, confused, hesitant—like he was transitioning between something inside of himself. "How can you not be happy?" he finally asked her, looking into her eyes. But then he blinked once more and smiled again. "Is my deadliest little nightshade sure she's not just playing hard to get with her Pumpkin King?" He leaned a little closer, and his grin picked up on one side. "I adore hard to get, you know. It's part of why I find you so intriguing—just thinking about your modesty and your shyness toward me all of these years, and knowing now that it was to cover up your deep affections for me…Oh Sally, it sends shivers all up and down my spine." He let out a shuddery sigh.

For just a few seconds Sally was quiet as she fought against a daydream about Jack's spine and shivers and whatnot. But she managed to bring herself around quickly enough, releasing his hand. "I'm _not_ playing hard to get, Jack," she replied firmly. "I wasn't ever playing hard to get. I was just…alone and unsure." She pushed back some emotions and went on. "I never knew what to say to you. I was scared you wouldn't like me anymore if I told you how I felt since you seemed so uncomfortable around the other women whenever they would tell you how they felt." Then Sally pouted a little and added just as firmly, "And I'm not playing hard to get now either. I'm not happy." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Jack, this is serious—what's wrong with you? What happened to you?" Her posture and tone relaxed a little. "Did you hurt yourself at Christmas? Do you need me to take care of you for a little while? I'll do anything I can to help you, Jack."

Jack's smile and whole face had remained motionless as Sally had spoken. And now, as he tried to speak again, he faltered once more—a twitch came to one of his eye sockets, and his grin fell. "S-Sally…But, I…Sally, don't you understand—I'm coming to you, I'm saying I love you, and that I want to be with you, I want to touch you, I want to dote upon you, and now and here I want to finally reveal every fantasy and desire I've ever had about you and to kiss you and run away with you to be together forever. We can finally have that, Sally. I'm everything you could possibly want in your wildest dreams…why won't you be everything from my wildest dreams too?" His voice sounded so simple and so confused.

Sally blushed slightly, trying not to think about what kind of wild dreams Jack might have of her exactly. "J-Jack, there's a time and place for wildest dreams, but it can't be all the time and the only place. And I don't want just wildest dreams." She smiled a little, lowering her arms to clasp her hands in front of herself. "I know you're letting me know all of these thoughts and feelings of yours because you care about me, and I appreciate that. And some of them are beautiful thoughts and feelings. But we can't act on them, Jack—not like how you want to. And I don't think trying would make either one of us very happy."

"Mm…" Jack sighed, his distress and confusion clearly growing. "B-But, are you sure, my….my, um…my lovely little…my scrumptious…um…my doll who is….my…"

Sally watched in both deeper concern and more in interest as Jack stumbled over these words—an event especially strange to her since Jack was normally the most articulate person she knew.

"You're…unhappy?" left Jack now. He blinked and frowned, her unexpected response finally fully sinking in, though he did try to smile again and make one more attempt at playing the passionate suitor. "O-Oh, love, you really are hard to please, aren't you, heh? But I must continue to do my best. After all, faint heart never won fair lady."

Though Sally really was concerned for Jack, she couldn't help but frown in just a bit of annoyance right now. She was very clearly (and patiently, she felt) asking him to stop flirting with her in this way, and yet he still kept trying to lay on the passionate advances. She did not like this resistance on his part. The Jack she knew was never this aggressive and never this (okay, okay, never _quite_ this) erratic, and the Jack she knew always respected her wishes and listened to her. The Jack she knew was never this desperate, and quite frankly the Jack she knew, despite his ego about some things, was never this overly confidant about his appeal as a man and about anyone's attraction to him as a woman including herself. She didn't want to upset him in whatever fragile state he was in, though she opened her mouth to begin explaining all of these feelings to him as gently as she could nonetheless.

But Sally stopped as she suddenly found herself overwhelmed by the sight of Jack pacing before her now. He spoke, and though his words seemed like they might be directed to her, they also seemed directed to himself a great deal. "I planned and executed every detail without fail. I love you, and I've come to pour my heart out to you and only you…. We have so little time together, and yet I can't remember anything but that time together. It's like a…like a memory long since passed. Everything lately feels like…but then this must be real, with her, our nights and the sheet and the touches and now wanting to tell her everything about how I love her and for us to finally run off together! But, no, no...if she's so sad…if she's unhappy…if she's scared… That's not right at all. The answer's right in front of me, she is the answer but she's saying I'm wrong! She's spectacular and witty and brilliant and clever and exquisite and beautiful and good and, oh…oh fearless, and that's what drives me maddest of all. It's what makes me want to come to you on my knees and shout how every bone in my body craves every stitch of yours because I don't even think I was properly dead let alone alive until you, sweet you, came to me. And I have to show you all of that while there's still time, but I tried and…nothing. I don't even know what I mean. My skull's so full it's tearing me apart! And all the colors and electric lights and the trees and the snow where I found you, and I wanted…! Ah, where am I? Sally, Sally, I'm so confused, where am I right now? I—"

_Splash._

Jack's very bewildered, very sad, and very psychologically significant rant finally ended as Sally finally found the courage to step forward, raise her little vase from the coffee table (after removing the flowers) and douse Jack's skull with the water it held. This action was all Sally had been able to think of to get him to stop, though she hoped she hadn't gone too far. He had been hysterical though, saying everything with a variety of emotions playing across his features and his tone varying from lyrical to dismal. And it had caused her such pain to look upon such raving that she had finally settled for tossing the water at him as the only possible solution she could think of to shock him out of his confusion (aside from a kiss, though she'd had a feeling that option would have only made the situation worse).

Jack just remained frozen on the spot, his mouth half open in speech and his eye sockets wide and unblinking.

Finally a deeply frowning Sally put down the vase and found her voice. She gently addressed Jack. "Jack…are you all right? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry. Jack…? Please say something to me. Please." Anything but that awful ranting, she couldn't help but think to herself, anything but that. A little insane worked around here, but Jack had practically been having a full mental breakdown. That was not okay at all even in Halloween Town.

"S…Sally…" met her ears faintly.

Sally swallowed and focused all of her attention on Jack.

He was standing there, a hand raised to wipe some of the dripping water from his skull. He blinked a few times, frowning. "Sally…" Jack went softly and shakily and slowly again, "…where am I? Did something happen? I…oh, I don't feel very…" And then he sighed deeply and collapsed down into a sitting position on the sofa, holding the side of his skull and resting against Sally's pillow. He let out a deep breath. "Sally, am I okay? I feel…dizzy. And I can't remember where I was just now. And I feel exhausted." Then again, several months of near constant work on a new holiday followed by an exploding sleigh ride that had lasted half a night followed by a daring battle with a villainous fiend during that same night followed by spending days and evenings with Sally, mornings sneaking off on hikes to Valentine Town, and nights sleepwalking due to special candies could certainly take their toll even on an undead skeleton. Jack never slept much, but even he needed a good night's rest now and again. And he felt like he could have turned in for twenty good night rests right now, to be honest. He was exhausted.

Sally hesitated but then moved forward and sat down next to him on the sofa. She gave him a small smile. "You'll be all right, Jack. And everything will be okay, I promise," she did her best to assure. But then she took a deep breath and went on. "Jack…have you been sleeping all right? And have you been having any bad dreams…o-or, um very good dreams?" She bit her lip, a warmth building in her features.

Jack, still with a hand to his temple and a frown upon his skeletal mouth, sighed and did his best to answer her. "I don't know…. I feel good after I sleep. Dreams…? Well, I used to have just frightful nightmares, but lately of course I've been dreaming of—" Jack had regained just enough coherence now (and enough relief from the slowly ebbing pain in his skull) to realize what he was saying, and he stopped saying it. "I…really can't remember details, but my dreams now make me happier than the nightmares ever did…" he mumbled quickly. And indeed such was the truth—Jack knew he must have been dreaming of Sally lately since the feelings associated with his dreams brimmed with love, but to be honest details were fuzzy to nonexistent (not that he wanted her to know either way that he dreamed about her of course).

Sally blushed a little but nodded and then pressed on…a weight coming over her heart that nearly created a lump in her throat. "Jack, I think…" she bit her lip and considered very carefully, "I think that doing Christmas this year was a lot for you. I think you need some time to relax and to not think about any holidays for a while." She frowned. "And I think that…I think that it might help you relax more if maybe I only came to visit instead of living here so suddenly like this. So I think I'm going to leave the house for a little while, Jack, just until you have more time to feel better about Christmas and to get used to things with us now. I'll come see you, and I'll help take care of you of course, but for now you need your rest." Of course, Sally knew she had nowhere else to go except this house. But if Jack was really going into odd 'trances' like whatever it was he had just come out of, and if the only significantly new change in Jack's life from the time of the trances starting was the start of their relationship and her coming to live with him, then…his breakdown might somehow be her fault. Sally couldn't bear that idea…. And her poor, vulnerable Jack didn't deserve to have such a difficult time with his first real relationship. "I-I'll still stay nearby, Jack, and…I'll probably come back to live here again soon," Sally went on. "I just want you to have a little time to yourself first to—"

"No!" Jack suddenly gasped, his eye sockets going wide as Sally's words finally sunk in. "Sally," he sat up, wincing a bit at his headache but continuing on, looking into her eyes, "Please don't say that, please don't leave. You can't leave. I couldn't…if you left, I..." How could he keep her safe? How could he try to make her happy? And how could he ever be happy himself again, being so close to something so good only to lose it? But then he just…Jack sighed softly and spoke more calmly, defeat in his tone. "But…if you're unhappy in any way then…of course you should go." Some of his emotion got the better of him for a moment again though. "Did I do something, Sally? I must have done something to make you want to leave. Please just tell me what it is, that's all I ask," he requested humbly.

Sally really couldn't deny him. And besides, she knew she had to explain his hysterics to him so that he could get some help (and since he clearly wasn't aware of them on his own). She would care for him as well as she could during her visits from now on, but Jack would have to confront his strange mood swings on his own too and he would also probably need to see a…doctor. And Sally only knew of one. And Sally also knew that if necessary she would get down on her knees and beg Dr. Finkelstein to help Jack. Part of her felt she could even have born it if the doctor made her return to his house and his keep as his price for helping her dearest friend (though the idea of such a future made her shudder inside.)

"Jack…" Sally finally managed in reply, trying to smile to ease the blow of the news, "you've just been saying strange things to me sometimes and getting very excited and not remembering any of it. You've been doing some strange things too. I would have told you sooner, but since it all happened at night I thought I might just be dreaming it. But…I wasn't. I even found your tie from the night you spent up here—and you only took the tie off during the part of that night that I remember and that you don't, the part that happened after our date." She swallowed. "You've been coming to where I sleep, Jack. And you've been very intimate with me…more intimate than I've ever hoped you would really be with me. The way you spoke to me and looked at me and h-how you touched me…" She was blushing and hid beneath her hair a little to hide it. "You told me secrets about how you felt about me. And I didn't think it was real. But now…just a few minutes ago you came up here and you said you needed to be near me and wanted to lie down with me…and that you were ready to admit all of your secret passionate feelings to me and wanted to run away with me and kiss me again and again. I…then I just…Jack?"

Jack had suddenly started up from the sofa, his eye sockets wide! He was looking down at her, and Sally blinked at how full his features were with panic and shock and utter devastation. He practically looked like he could cry.

Sally stood, her tone soft with reassurance and understanding. "Jack…" she held out a hand to him.

Jack backed away though, looking down, looking anywhere but at her. His skull was burning hot as his bone marrow rushed and pounded in his ears. He had been telling and doing WHAT to her? He genuinely seemed like he was going to be ill again. But how could he sit down on her sofa again after knowing now that he had been outright wooing her to lie down with him on it mere moments ago!? And perhaps he was starting to remember the things she was saying about his nightly actions, but at the same time all of it was fuzzy, and maybe also he wanted to avoid the memories for now because who could bear such details on top of everything else? He had mortified himself to her in every way possible, and she wanted to leave him…and could anyone really blame her?

And could anyone really blame him if he suddenly felt like leaving in a way now too?

Jack found it in himself to muster a few words to Sally as he slowly backed away to the tower exit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…You shouldn't have heard any of that. I shouldn't have done those things to you. You aren't the one who…" He sighed, and it came out like a shudder as he finally made it to the staircase to descend. He blinked several times, turning so pale that his skull seemed almost translucent. "Forget everything I said, forget all of it, please. Go wherever you want to, wherever will make you happiest. I can't…I'm sorry, Sally, I have to go now, I just have to. I'm sorry." And then with an embarrassed cringe he bolted down the stairs.

In his fear, Jack knew there was only one place he could go, one place where Sally wouldn't go and where none of the townspeople would go, but where maybe he could have some time to himself to think…and then some time to talk to somebody—somebody in particular who could maybe help, who could maybe show him where his heart and affections had gone all wrong. It was the only hope he had left to cling to in this sudden moment of despair.

Jack went swiftly to the front door and out into the street, and then he started for the hinterlands to reach the holiday forest.

* * *

Back inside the house, Sally had looked so sad as she had watched Jack leave in his crushed and embarrassed and confused state. If he really was only just realizing what had been happening between them lately, she couldn't imagine how overwhelmed his truly shy nature must be. She wished she could have said more before he had left the room, but she had almost been afraid of hurting or humiliating him further. And then the words he had said upon leaving confused her a little bit too. 'You shouldn't have heard…' 'I shouldn't have done those things to you' 'Forget everything I said…' Perhaps he was embarrassed, yes, but…if he truly did love her in return, then what would be wrong with her experiencing and remembering those things he had said and done no matter what? "Something's wrong here, very wrong." Sally frowned to herself and shook her head.

Suddenly, Sally heard the front door open and close downstairs. She blinked and rushed to her window. In the fading daylight, could see Jack heading off quickly…but not toward town or to the graveyard or the pumpkin patch or even to Spiral Hill. He was walking towards the hinterlands of all places.

Sally had an idea.

She whistled and then called out into the house, "Zero!"

Almost instantly the ghost dog flew up through the trap door and appeared before her. And he looked about as anxious as Sally did (having heard the entire exchange from his place hiding invisibly by the trap door of course).

Sally looked to him, her tone calm and decisive, her eyes full of concern. "Zero, I think Jack's running off to wherever he's been sneaking off to lately. I can't keep up with him on foot. But you know where that place is, so I'd like you to lead me there Zero. Please." She frowned. "I know you promised not to tell where he's been going, but this is very important. I think something's wrong with him. Please take me to him, Zero."

Zero didn't even hesitate. He flew up and barked and nodded, let his nose glow extra brightly to help light their way, and then he pushed open the window and let the rope ladder unfurl down.

Sally nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Zero." And then she moved to the window and proceeded down the ladder to follow after her dearest friend. _'Jack…I'll find you and I'll help you and we'll make everything better, just like with Christmas, I promise_.' She nodded to herself as she continued her climb downward.

Sally's little feet soon hit the dank ground outside, and then Zero flew a bit ahead of her down the road and Sally quickly followed after him…though she did pause for a moment at the gate to Jack's house. A light had caught her attention at the corner of her eye. And over at Town hall, all the windows were indeed aglow. A town meeting. And she had a very good idea what it might be all about….

Sally swallowed but shook her head and plowed on toward the hinterlands, ignoring the light and its significance for now. She had a very good feeling that everything would work out, she reminded herself again. She just had to do her best. And nothing would be bad in the end as long as she and Jack ended up safe and together.

Sally ran on after Jack and Zero into the night.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now and I hope you enjoyed it! In the next chapter we see the results of the town meeting…and then Jack and Sally confront each other (with the additional presence of a certain Heart Queen :33 ). I promise drama and maybe some passionate fighting XD I hope you all enjoy it!

Oh and as of this point, we're past the half way point of this fic, so yay! Progress! :D (The story will be 24 chapters with an epilogue that'll make up the 25th chapter).

Thanks for reading/reviewing, and Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	14. Halloween and Valentine's Day Collide

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Thank you for your patience (sorry, busy weekend lol). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter-lots of drama lol ^_^ Please review if you can!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 14:**

**Halloween and Valentine's Day Collide**

* * *

Among the lovely pinks and pastels of her holiday world, and deep within the stately marble town hall that stood at the center of it all, a certain Heart Queen sat at a table scattered with doilies and strings of paper hearts and dozens of fresh roses. At the other end of the table, a certain golden-robed Magistrate named Marigold (her half-moon rose glasses off at the moment) was recording things on scrolls and using an abacus to calculate some things and talking on and on most animatedly.

Flora, however, had very little awareness of these activities. In fact, for several minutes now she had just been staring off to the side at something, her brow slightly furrowed, her eyes bright as diamonds with her concentration.

"…So if we can just get you to deliver the arrows to the humans on a three-second rotating basis, we can easily manage to have you out of their realm and back here in time for our usual full parade and a peaceful light reception afterwards at sunset! Followed by the Awards Ceremony of course!" Mari announced with a bright smile, holding up her quill, her tone full of pride at having discovered the final detail to making the holiday go off perfectly (again) this year. "Isn't that lovely?"

Silence.

Mari's smile fell. "Isn't that lovely?" she tried again (more weakly this time).

Still nothing.

Marigold blinked and then scowled. "You have not been listening to a word I've said, have you?" Her tone was level but full of frustration.

Still absolutely nothing from the Queen.

Marigold stood up, her tone and features going dry. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm staging a coup. I suppose there are some leader-types who want to steal the holidays of others, but personally I'm happy keeping this an internal affair. Please have your bags packed and be out of our world by the end of the month. All hail Queen Marigold."

Nothing but a sigh and a light, distracted mumble of, "Yes, that's nice…."

Marigold closed her eyes, let out a calming breath, and then walked over to Flora, got right in front of her, and knelt down. She did her best to put on a patient smile. "Flora, my dear old friend, I need you to work with me a little, please. I may be the political heart of our nation, but you're the spirit of it. I cannot make these decisions by myself, and considering how close we are to our holiday, I think I've been very patient lately. Now, tell me what's wrong, let's resolve it, and then we can get back to finalizing holiday planning before I have a heart attack, all right? Please, for me, let's pull this off one more time, hmm?"

Flora finally sighed and blinked a few times, her eyes becoming like soft prisms again. She smiled a little to her friend. "I'm sorry, Mari. If I ever don't listen though, you know it's just because I trust your judgment implicitly." She sighed, her smile falling a little. "My own judgment though…I worry about that sometimes." Her eyes went across the room again.

Marigold blinked and then followed her gaze. Seeing nothing of great interest though, she sighed. "Okay, I give up, Flora. What is it?"

"The dying flowers in the vase."

Marigold's eyes went to a corner, and sure enough on a pedestal there was a vase filled with a dozen fading and dead roses. She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that all? I'll replace them." She went to move forward.

"No…" Flora held up a hand. "Just leave them for a moment." She sighed. "My intuition's been bothering me lately about something…and those flowers make me wonder."

Marigold brought her hand to her temple and rubbed gently, her eyes closed. "This is about the Pumpkin King, isn't it?"

Flora nodded. "Yes…. He seems like his problems about love are average, but I've just been having a bad feeling lately, and especially as he's told me more and more about how nervous he is and about how very important it is to him to have things work out with his true love." Her brow furrowed lightly again. "Dying flowers…their scent is always strongest, more potent. You'd think death would temper potency of some things, but it actually might do just the opposite." Her eyes went a little wide. She looked to Marigold. "I think there's a chance I made a mistake helping Jack the way I did, Marigold."

Marigold smiled softly. "You see—you _can_ trust your own judgment, Flora. It just takes that judgment of yours a little while to come around sometimes."

Flora smiled a little.

Marigold sighed and stepped back. "Now, how about we finish up with a few more notes on holiday planning, and then you can write a letter to Jack telling him about your concerns, and I'll send some doves through the Halloween holiday door to deliver it to him, hmm?" She smiled down at her Queen.

Flora smiled back up at her in kind of a funny way.

Then Flora took a breath. "Mari, I'm so sorry about this." And suddenly she bolted up from her seat and towards the Town Hall exit. "If there's a problem, I really should see to it myself!" she called over her shoulder. "Jack's become such a good friend, and it wouldn't be good for holiday diplomacy if he ended up hurt because of me! I'll just pop into Halloween Town and be back soon! By dinner…or by the weekend the latest if I don't get too distracted! I'm sure you can hold down the fort! Bye!" And just like that she was already gone, dashing along in her airy quick way to the holiday forest of her world.

Marigold just stood there with her jaw dropped for several seconds. Then she glanced around practically in a panic. But then her eyes went back to the town hall exit and narrowed. "Oh no, you are not doing this to me now, Heart Queen. And you are not going off to another world without me there to drag you back here as soon as possible."

And with that, Marigold folded up their Valentine's Day plans, put some blank scrolls and quills in her robe pockets, and then went off at a stately march toward the Holiday Forest

* * *

While a Queen had been reconsidering her actions lately, and while Jack and Sally had been sharing moments and keeping secrets and finally separating in an awkward moment of realization and fear, the citizens of Halloween Town had been going through a few crises of their own at the current town meeting.

In fact, along with being worried over Sally's disappearance (and over the possibility that whatever was left of Oogie Boogie could be somehow involved), every citizen was more concerned about Jack and his welfare than they ever had been before in the history of Halloween Town.

First…well, there had been the whole 'Christmas' thing. All right, Jack was their leader and they truly trusted him to have their best interests at heart, and so for a while this 'new holiday' had sort of seemed like it could work out—sort of like a 'Halloween 2' to break up the year between each 'Halloween 1.' But then Jack had started wanting such…odd and strange things from them (and not the good kind of 'odd' and 'strange'). Smiling things and soft things and cuddly things…and even pink things! _Pink!_ He had used words like 'fresh' and 'pleasant' and 'dollies' and 'sugar plums' with just as much sincerity as he had always used words like 'rotting' and 'horrible' and 'vampire bats' and 'toadstools'…. But the citizens had willingly gone along with his ideas because he was their king (though there had been doubts among the people to say the least.)

When Jack had nearly gotten destroyed, though, then they had known this whole Christmas thing had been just wrong, wrong, so very wrong. As the Mayor had said, he had felt it in his gut. But then Jack had come back, and he seemed to be okay and singing and dancing like usual. He had even gotten rid of that bothersome Oogie Boogie. And so as the snow had fallen and their king had taken his rightful place among them once more, everything had seemed great…at first.

But now Jack had been scarce again—up brooding in his tower once more about who knew what kind of craziness (as the light almost constantly shining out of his tower window couldn't help but indicate). Oh sure he had popped down the other day and said a few quick hellos, went into town and bought some strange gears and parts, and quite a bit more food than their thin skeleton leader usually ate, and even some fabric (quite a bit of fabric actually, and in colors which Jack usually didn't seem to wear or decorate with.) But now he had gone and disappeared again, and it had been days and he still hadn't come to town hall for Halloween planning yet—so what in the world was he doing? The townspeople almost feared to ask him out of worry that doing so might trigger another manic obsession in their pumpkin king or another long trip by him to a faraway world to bring back even more strange and troublesome things to their own happy, horrible town.

Yet, despite all of these major points of concern regarding Jack, the main issue at hand for the town at their current town meeting really was Sally and her whereabouts…and Oogie Boogie.

"Attention, attention, everyone! This is serious!" the Mayor called out to the crowd, banging his gavel and wearing his worrisome face as he stood upon the town hall stage before everyone. "We have an emergency! We need to find Sally and make sure that Oogie Boogie isn't back!" He looked around at the various members of the audience. "We have to have someone go down into that lair and investigate! Are there any volunteers?"

The crowd mumbled a bit more, but most of its members just glanced away and clearly tried to avoid being noticed.

"Why can't we just have Jack go?" asked Zeldabourne in her little voice.

That suggestion got some murmurs and assents from the crowd.

"Yeah! Jack brave!" Behemoth supplied.

"Yes, and he makes walls fall and mountains crack! He's the best to go check!" added Undersea Gal.

The Mayor sighed. "But Jack's still…indisposed! I really don't think we ought to disturb him until he's ready to come back to town. After all, considering all he's been through lately, I'm sure we can all agree that a rest is probably the best thing for him." The Mayor tried his best to smile with his worried face, though really he wished he could just put on his happy face for everyone to give them confidence in how things would play out with Jack. In fact, Jack had been so erratic, so unlike his usual bony, terrifying self lately that the Mayor honestly hoped he would rest for as long as possible to get back to being the Pumpkin King they all knew and loved. And yet still, with just how many days Jack had been scarce, the Mayor was starting to feel a little on edge himself (though he knew the last thing he could do was express any of that doubt to the citizens.) The Mayor sighed and tried to move things along. "We can all discuss Jack later. For now we need to focus on Sally and Oogie Boogie!"

"Erm!" Doctor Finkelstein suddenly cleared his throat and wheeled forward now, addressing the crowd. "I understand that we would all feel most comfortable with Jack taking care of things, but he does not seem to be available for much at the moment. Possibly the fight with Oogie and his Christmas flight fatigued him more than we realized. But certainly even if Oogie Boogie has survived somehow he must be very weak. I would check into the matter myself, but my chair won't permit me to go down into his lair at the gorge, and Jewel is so new to this world that it would not be safe for her to venture down to such a treacherous place alone." There were murmurs of assent and understanding from the crowd, so Dr. Finkelstein went on. "I think it would be most sensible for all of us to ban together and head over to Oogie's lair sometime after dawn tomorrow morning. The daylight will make it easier for all of us to examine the area, and perhaps one more night of rest and solitude is just what Jack needs before he would feel up to joining us. In the meantime, we can investigate around the town and the outlying areas to the hinterlands for Sally to see if perhaps she has just run off again or is hurt or lost somewhere nearby. I believe that would be our best course of action."

Jewel, meanwhile, just stood behind the Doctor and beamed and nodded at his plan, secretly admiring his brilliance and sensibility. He was always so together and so smart about things, and he was really caring deep down in his own way…. Jewel was starting to have a strange 'sensation' come over herself for him, though it was hard for her to place what it was. She knew there were these 'things' other people experienced—'emotions' was the best word she had found in the Doctor's books to describe them. And she knew she didn't seem to have access to them. Though Jewel suspected (and quite accurately) that the Doctor could experience 'emotions' and that the reason for this divide between them had something to do with each of them possessing only half of a shared brain…specifically the doctor having the right side—the creative side, the sensitive side, the intuitive side—and herself having the left side—the analytical side, the scientific side, the side based in hard facts and reason. Jewel could only really care about Sally's whereabouts as a logical puzzle to be solved, whereas the Docor could care about Sally's whereabouts on a much more personal level than he ever had before.

Meanwhile, murmurs were going throughout the crowd as the townspeople seemed to be discussing and agreeing the Doctor's proposal.

"Are you kidding me?" Shock suddenly called out from the crowd though. "All of you really think you can take on Oogie Boogie without Jack?" She grinned as all eyes turned to her. "He'd pick you off one by one if he had the chance."

"Yeah, and besides," Lock added from his place in the audience with a grin, "Jack's our king—shouldn't helping him come first?" He shrugged 'innocetly.'

"Yup!" Barrel agreed. "I say we stay here and talk a whole lot about Jack and slowly work our way up to getting him. Who cares about old what's her name anyway?" He shrugged and licked his lollipop.

"She is my creation, and I care," Dr. Finkelstein suddenly announced gruffly, a stern scowl upon his features. "And one way or another I intend to find out what has happened to her as soon as possible for her own safety as well as for the safety of the town. Jack is not missing, Jack is not hurt—Jack can take care of himself. And for now we have to take care of ourselves, and doing so includes taking care of Sally. And we will search for her now just the same as we would want the town to search for any of us if we had gone missing under such mysterious circumstances."

The crowd began to talk excitedly, the opinion of the room clearly ready to go either way.

Suddenly the Mayor cleared his throat and addressed everyone again, ready to use his humble skills as an elected official to guide the room to a final decision. "Now, now, please, the Doctor makes an excellent point. We have to do what's best for one of our citizens who might be in danger, which is a far more important subject than Jack still needing some time to himself to sort out his thoughts. A search party will be efficient for getting to the bottom of things, and if we find anything amiss near Oogie's lair, I'll head to Jack's house and report to him personally myself. And then I'm sure he'll come down and assist us, especially when he knows that we're trying to help another citizen. He is still our great protector and King after all." The Mayor actually got his happy face to come back at the thought. "All in favor of splitting up into search parties to hunt for Sally and then heading over to the gorge together after dawn tomorrow, say aye!"

"AYE!" the whole audience chorused eagerly.

"Simply horrible!" The Mayor banged his gavel and then stepped down from the podium and off of the stage, still smiling. He turned to the Doctor. "Thank you, Doctor Finkelstein, for that terribly sound plan of action. I'm sure we'll find your creation soon and that everything will turn out well." 'Please turn out well, oh please turn out well! Oh I need Jack!' he mentally panicked inside, though he kept his face smiling for everyone.

The Doctor nodded. "Thank you, Mayor," he grumbled softly. Then he glanced over his shoulder. "Jewel, you may take me home now."

Jewel smiled and looked down more and nodded. "Okay, Doctor…" She took the handles of his chair in her hands and began to wheel him away down the aisle past the crowd.

The Mayor turned his attention back to the citizens again. "All right, for tonight's search let's organize the groups. Vampire brothers search the pumpkin patch, Undersea Gal and Slime Man check around the lake, Witches please fly up and see if you can spot Sally from the air, Corpse Family check the alleys around town square, Behemoth call out for her in the woods, everybody else search anywhere you think relevant, and I'll take the car out and use the bullhorn to yell for her."

The crowd nodded and broke up to take care of their tasks while the mayor waddled off to get the car. Actually, though Jack's absence lately had been very worrisome, it had also made the Mayor really be in charge for a bit, and he was surprised to find that he could be okay at it even without Jack constantly by his side. Of course he still wanted the Pumpkin King back in full action, no question, but at least he had more faith now that if anything ever did happen to Jack or if Jack really did want to go off and take an interest in new things, he could hold down the Halloween Town fort quite well on his own for at least a bit.

Outside of his concerns about Jack though, the Mayor really hoped that Oogie wasn't coming back. Part of his new current confidence came from knowing that Oogie was gone. Oogie frightened him a lot and not in a good way. And he also really hoped that Sally girl was safe. She wasn't the scariest lady in town, but she seemed nice enough, and she always seemed to make Jack smile and happy, and that was a good thing in his book.

And overall the Mayor just really hoped that all of these uncertain things would end soon so that he and Jack and everybody could finally get back to planning Halloween. There were 299 days left until the celebration after all!

Meanwhile, as the townspeople proceeded to clear out of the town hall, Lock, Shock, and Barrel looked to each other from across the room with frowns—their plan had backfired, the citizens were still going to head off looking for Sally and in the morning they would be going near the gorge to look for Oogie Boogie.

The three trick-or-treaters approached each other as the room emptied.

"What do we do now, Shock?" Barrel asked, an eyebrow risen.

"Yeah, 'fearless leader' what's the plan now that EVERYONE'S looking for Sally?" Lock frowned at her.

Shock frowned in return but then smiled smugly and replied, "Simple. We go off and find Sally first."

"Aww!" Lock and Barrel both moaned together.

"Come on, Shock, I'm tired! I don't want to run around all over town again!" Barrel moaned with a frown.

"We're at least taking the bathtub," Lock insisted, and then gave a loud whistle to summon the large mobile object. "And just out of curiosity," he looked back to Shock, "How exactly do you think we're supposed to find her when it's just the three of us versus everyone else? Personally, I think we should hold up in the tree house with the bugs to look out for Oogie Boogie and take care of things ourselves."

"Yeah, Oogie Boogie would like that kind of loyalty!" Barrel grinned. But then he frowned. "But then what are we going to do with all of that fabric…and especially if his bugs need it for when he comes back."

Shock sighed and rolled her eyes. "What we're going to do is stick with the original plan. Look, finding Sally ourselves will be a cinch. First of all, it'll take everyone in town a while to get organized, so we'll have a head start. Second of all they don't have Jack helping them since he's so distracted latley, so there's a lost advantage. And third, everyone'll look for Sally only in the most obvious places at first, even though we know she's the best hider there is considering the number of times we've spied and seen her escape from the Doctor AND avoid being lured in by Oogie Boogie while she's been wandering outside of town." She grinned. "Trust me. The three of us know the nooks and crannies of this town better than anybody—we'll find her. And _then_ we'll hold up in the tree house. And when all that's done, we'll have a very nice advantage just in case things play out in favor of Mr. Oogie Boogie man."

Shock started to laugh darkly, and Lock and Barrel couldn't help grinning and laughing with a mischevious air too.

Suddenly the town hall doors burst open, and the bathtub entered, approaching them. The three trick-or-treaters hoped inside, and the bathtub reared up and then started walking them outside while the trick-or-treaters pulled down their Halloween masks, their laughter continuing and continuing.

* * *

Jack was walking through the woods so swiftly that he might as well have been running, but he felt too shaky to actually run and not stumble and trip and have all his bones fall apart, and then what would he do? '_I feel so awful, so embarrassed_…' He cringed to himself. What side of him exactly had Sally seen lately during the nights? How could he ever make it up to her for all of the awkwardness and distress he must have caused her? And most importantly, how could this have happened in the first place? He needed advice and he needed it now, and what better place to get it than Valentine Town! Thus, Jack was heading right now to the holiday forest and the heart-shaped holiday door.

But this time he wasn't just going to Flora. Oh no, was in big trouble, he needed big help…

He was going to ask her to take him to her holiday leader.

That person would have to have the solution! The master of love, the Heart King—of course he would know where Jack had gone wrong and how to fix it. And then Jack could come back here and implement whatever solution had been suggested to him, and somehow everything would work out because everything _needed_ to work out because quite frankly he could not live without Sally and her sweet romantic companionship and friendship now that he had found it in his life. He didn't want to be alone anymore, he didn't want to be brooding, he didn't want to be so very private and cut off from every single person. He wanted to be happy and to laugh with someone and go for walks holding hands and set the table for more than one person each night and have conversation and Halloween planning with somebody close and he wanted that glorious experience of having someone to welcome him home for the rest of forever. He loved Sally, and he didn't want the small life they had started to make together to end. And so Jack hoped the Valentine's Day leader would have a way to bring Sally back to him.

Jack reached the holiday forest clearing now. He stopped and wiped some nearly dried tears from his face. He had never really cried before, and on his walk here he had actually been surprised to find that his skull could produce so many constant tears that seemed to flow without his will. Jack sighed. '_I'm just so tired… .Between another Halloween and then Christmas and then the sleigh ride and fighting Oogie and the horrible thing I had to do to him and saving Sandy, and now everything with Sally…and now this_.' Jack cringed again, leaning against the side of the Valentine Town tree. He just needed a break from it all, some kind of rest and release. He had wanted excitement and change in his life, but everything lately had been just too much all at once.

Jack walked around the tree and opened the heart-shaped door, fully intending to fling himself into the void leading down to the rose fields, when…

"Jack, if you're looking for me, I'm right here."

Jack stopped, nearly reeling forward and then back, and then turned around in surprise.

And sure enough, there stood Flora, sitting on a stump near the shadow of the Christmas Town tree in her usual red robe-like dress and with her hair sparkling silver and her eyes glittering like prisms even in the gloom of the Halloween Town night. She stood up, dusting off her dress as she approached him. "I must say, the ride here is a bit…eccentric. But those bats of yours who help carry you through are very nice. It's a bit rough dropping into that brushy pumpkin patch, but otherwise not too bad. Plenty of moonlight to see by at least to work my way here." She stood before him with a smile.

"Flora?" Jack raised an eyebrow in utter perplexity. "What…how…why…."

Flora let out a soft sigh and moved toward him. "We have to discuss some things, Jack. Also, my intuition about 'feelings' has been suggesting to me very strongly that you might need some of my more direct assistance. So strongly, in fact, that I didn't want to wait until you came to see me next to talk to you." She frowned a little more, observing him closely. "You do seem very distressed, don't you? Oh, my dear friend Jack…I have a bad feeling you're having trouble with love and that it's all my fault." She shook her head to herself. "Please tell me everything that's happened. If my romantic intuition is affecting me as much as it has been even across worlds, I know it's something serious."

Jack looked down and hesitated with a pale blanch for a moment. But then it was so nice to hear a kind word, to feel like he might have found someone who could understand and help, that he couldn't help starting to open up. "Flora, I don't know what to do. I…oh it's awful…" He sighed so very deeply. "I don't know what's wrong with me, but I just found out that I've been sleep walking and going to Sally. And each time I do, apparently I've said things to her and done things to her…romantic things." He blanched so much. "Things that have made her swoon, things so wild she didn't think they could be real, and I told her so many feelings, tried to run away with her, practically came into her bed. And I can't remember any of it. But I woke up in the middle of it this time, so I know it must be true! I don't understand why I would do those things though. And now she wants to leave our lovely home! And I don't know how to do anything to fix what I've done…. All I know is that if she does leave, I'll miss her more terribly than anyone has ever missed anyone in all the worlds there are." He closed his eye sockets and took a breath, willing away new tears that wanted to fall.

But then something about what Flora had just said processed with Jack and he blinked, raising an eyebrow and glancing to her. "But…Flora, what are you talking about? Why would anything be your fault? All you've done is try and help me throughout this entire courtship mess. I'm very grateful to you. You've been very kind to me. You've welcomed me to your town, you've listened to my problems, and you've given me all of the assistance a friend could ask for. I'm grateful. I-I just…I don't know, somehow something went wrong, went too far, and I don't know what to do." He looked at her with a touch of seriousness. "Flora, I know it's late and I don't mean to impose, but I have a favor to ask of you. I need to speak with your holiday leader. Please. Things have gotten so complicated, and I just feel that if anyone could help straighten it all out, your king could. You've been so helpful yourself, but I don't want to have to bother you too much longer with my situation. If he could help me fix everything then everything would be better, I know it. And then perhaps our worlds could meeting on mutual, friendly terms instead of as a means of trying to fix my love life." He blanched a tiny bit. "May I please meet your leader, Flora…Please?" he finished sincerely, looking into her eyes.

And Flora just looked back at him with surprise and then a weak smile. "O-Oh you…Oh…Jack…" She sighed very deeply. "I'll get you help to fix everything, I promise, but there are some things you haven't realized yet. And I have a confession to make. First of all, you see, I'm…."

* * *

As Flora explained some things to Jack, somebody watched them from just outside of the circle of holiday forest trees.

In fact, it was Sally who was watching, with Zero beside her (who was looking at her with more and more worry as the seconds passed). As Sally and Zero had come upon the clearing, Sally had been so puzzled to find Jack stopping at the holiday forest of all places—there was nothing familiar and comforting about this place, in fact there was nothing for him to do here at all anymore…. Yet he had come, like he knew the way here at this point as easily as he knew his way to any site in Halloween Town. And then her heart had broken a little as she had watched him open up one of the doors, the heart one. '_But…he promised me no more other holidays…He promised me_.' He hadn't gone through, thankfully, but suddenly there was this woman here now talking with Jack. Sally couldn't hear the words Jack was speaking to this strange, pretty-colored woman with flashing eyes, but she could see him addressing her in a very familiar, almost intimate way…. And there was smiling. And then they got really close and the woman whispered things to Jack.

At first, Jack appeared rather surprised and confused by whatever she told him. Then he blinked several times and seemed to think. The woman just looked down with a blush and a frown. But then Jack smiled softly and clearly said something short and sweet and comforting to her, because the woman looked up and smiled again, her blushing softening.

Then the woman bit her rosy lip and said something else to Jack while looking down.

Whatever she was explaining, it took her a bit of time. Then she looked up at Jack again hesitantly.

Jack looked back at her with wide, almost hurt eye sockets.

She seemed to explain some more, moving closer.

Then Jack looked very upset and pulled away, but she only stepped closer and explained even more. Her features took on something deeply apologetic when she was done.

Jack still looked upset at first. But then he seemed to calm down.

The woman talked more, and he listened more. Then she took a step back from him with a small smile, holding out a fold of her dress in one hand and giving a small bow.

Jack considered for a moment, and then he let out a calming breath and stepped back and gave her a bow as well.

Then they both straightened up and started to talk again, and the woman smiled softly and Jack smiled softly, and they seemed to carry on a conversation with a continuous comfort and intimacy Sally had never seen Jack have with another person…even herself.

Zero, meanwhile, watched sally's facial expressions changing during this whole time and he did not like what he saw. Why was everybody getting so upset and worked up lately? If Jack would just go home and Sally would just go home and the two of them would just kiss and smile and talk (and let him cuddle between them on the sofa while a roaring fire burned in the hearth and everyone drank hot cocoa), everything would be fine again. Why couldn't they just do that instead of being out here with everyone being so unhappy?

He was especially worried when a few more moments passed (ending with Jack suddenly hugging the woman and then hooking his arm with hers), and then Sally suddenly dashed out into the holiday forest clearing to meet Jack and his new, shiny, sparkly, pretty female friend. Zero watched from the sidelines for a little while, but then finally found himself so overwhelmed and disheartened by the confrontation that took place that he chose to fly to his headstone among the other ghosts and rest there for a little while, hoping that soon enough his master and new mistress would make up again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jack and Flora really had been having a very special conversation this entire time.

And of course, Flora's first revelation to Jack had been, well…

"First of all, Jack, you see, _I'm_ the holiday leader." She smiled a touch sheepishly and then gave a regal nod of her head. "Queen Cupidity Amora Flora, the Heart Queen of Valentine Town, at your service."

Jack was rather shocked for a moment to say the least. "I…well…wow, um…so there's no…and you're a…"

Intuitive to a fault, Flora just smiled and assured him with a shrug and a little grin. "Oh come now, Jack, don't be so old-fashioned—you can't think all of the holiday leaders had to be men. Besides, yes, that's an excellent plan—let's put a King in charge of love." She rolled her eyes, smiling more. "No offense, Jack. Men do love just as passionately as women do, but my job requires a certain bit of intuition and finesse much more inherent in the fairer sex. Can't have the leader off being distracted by new holidays when meanwhile true love is hiding right at his side, waiting for him to notice her, can we?" She winked at him.

Jack blanched lightly but understood and even chuckled a little. "No, I suppose not. I understand, I think…" He was about to go through some much more formal introductions, some diplomatic things he had been planning to say lately ever since he had discovered the existence of other holidays and hence other holiday leaders…

But then Flora interrupted with her second admission. She had looked down humbly and explained about her method for fixing his romantic troubles. She knew suppression of natural romantic desires never worked, she knew that Jack's luck with his 'super subtle' approach would run out soon, and he had seemed so eager to please Sally despite his fears. So she had…given him the candies— 'Daydream Drops' as they were known as in Valentine Town. They helped even the most repressed person get in touch with their desires and find the courage to express them. The therapeutic idea behind such drops was that they eventually got a person so comfortable expressing their natural inclinations that soon they didn't need the drops, and they could express or hide their desires at will completely comfortably.

Flora sighed. "But I should have taken better account of the particulars of your situation, Jack. I really should have." She looked up at him. "You've never loved anyone like you love Sally, which normally doesn't cause much difference with those candies. But you've been around much longer than the average person—you've had the chance to repress your desires much more than most other creatures. There's been too much for the potion in those candies to regulate safely. You're dead, and I thought that would compensate somehow by taking off the edge of their effects…but it's only heightened the effects instead. Especially at night, it seems. I should have realized there was a special strength about the power of this place at night, and the position of the moon, and your place as King…. I should have been more responsible instead of just indulging my matchmaking desires by offering you help and assuming it would all turn out for the best as long as my heart was in the right place." She sighed. "Jack, I am so very sorry. I love to help people find love, but I have a horrible tendency of getting carried away and not thinking, especially this time of year with Valentine's Day coming up. And I just hope that you'll forgive me and allow me to help you fix whatever mess I've caused in whatever way I can." She gave a bow of her head.

Jack was not happy with Flora at first. In fact, he felt quite upset actually. But then Jack thought about things for a moment, and he realized he couldn't stay mad. After all, he had made a rather big inter-holiday mistake of his own recently… _'If Santa Claus can forgive me for all of my reckless behavior, how could I not forgive Flora for her honest mistake?' _

Jack looked to Flora again (who still seemed so very upset with herself) and then smiled softly and spoke. "I do forgive you, Flora the Heart Queen. And I understand that you were only trying to help me. And I appreciate that you'll help me now. And if I may say so it is a very nice honor to meet another holiday leader…who isn't terribly angry at me for trying to steal their holiday of course, heh…" He smiled sheepishly. "When this is all over and settled, perhaps we could meet more to discuss our holidays further, and maybe the possibility of meeting the other holiday leaders and setting up sort of a holiday council? It's something I've been thinking about ever since I found the holiday forest. I'd love to hear your ideas on the matter." He looked at her with pleasant interest.

Flora smiled so happily. "Oh…oh yes, I think that would be quite nice, Jack. Thank you…. You know, quite a few of us leaders have already know about the other holidays for some time, but we've never sat down to a formal meeting. I think that would be very enjoyable." Then she added softly, "And thank you for forgiving me, Jack the Pumpkin King." She took up a fold of her dress and gave him a formal bow.

Jack just smiled more and stepped back to give her a formal bow as well. "You're quite welcome, Flora. And splendid, we'll set something up then soon for all of us to get to know each other properly." Then they both straightened up, and Jack asked with a small blanch, "And I'd like you to meet Sally, Flora, if you'd like and as long as you're here. I think she'd like you, and it would be nice for her to have another friend. I…" But then Jack paused and he frowned, and so much sadness came into his eye sockets. "Sally…" He looked down. "Oh Sally…Flora, what'll I do if she doesn't come back…?"

Flora frowned and moved closer. "She will come back, Jack," she assured softly. "Please don't worry. I'll do everything I can to see to that. At least you shouldn't end up making anymore nightly visits as long as you don't eat anymore of those candies, so that takes care of part of the problem. But I assure you, we'll work everything out, and you and Sally will be happy again."

Jack sighed and nodded. "Thank you, Flora. I think if anyone can help us, it's you. I…"And then his eye sockets lit up—he had an idea, "Oh, that's…that's brilliant! Yes!" He looked at her eagerly. "Flora, please, come back with me to my house and help me explain to Sally what happened directly—I think that might do it! Or at least it'll be a start!" He blanched a little. "I-It'll be embarrassing, yes, but it might still fix things. As long as you have the time, please do come with me!"

Flora smiled and nodded. "Of course, Jack, I would be honored. And I think talking honestly and confessing everything like that will be an excellent start for helping the two of you and your relationship."

"Splendid!" Jack laughed and gave her a quick hug and then hooked arms with her, "Come on, I'll show you the way, right through here…"

However, before Jack and Flora could make it past the clearing of holiday trees, Sally herself appeared before them.

Of course, Flora and Jack stopped in surprise right in their tracks.

Sally just stood there, looked at the two of them the widest eyes imaginable.

"Oh!" Jack blinked, looking at her curiously. "Sally? How did you get out here?" He smiled a little. Then he remembered his friend. "Oh, um…Sally, I'd like you to meet a special friend of mine—she's from another holiday world, you see, the one with the heart door. They call it Valentine Town. Her name is…well, um…Sally, why are you looking at me like that?" Jack had to pause in his introduction because Sally was looking at him in a way she never had before: her eyes wide, her brow furrowed, her lips pursed, and her sweet hands clenched as fists at her sides. He was almost frightened by her coutenance actually. She seemed unhappy right now, to say the least.

Meanwhile, beside Jack, Flora's prism eyes went wide and she let go of his arm. She could see emotions pretty perfectly, and Sally was glowing a green the land of love knew all too well. "Erm…Jack…" she started carefully, hoping to give him some warning and to use her abilities to gently calm the two lovers.

However, Sally spoke first.

"_Jack. Skellington."_

Jack actually gulped. No one ever called him by his full name. And no one had ever said any part of it like that before.

"Y-Yes?" he stuttered out to her with a few blinks of is eye sockets.

Sally frowned, then scowled, then pouted, then sighed. Then finally she opened her mouth and did her best to begin. "Jack…how could you? You promised me you wouldn't go off to other worlds again, but look where you are and look who you're with. Have you really been running off to another holiday every time you leave the house? And is she your special 'advisor' friend you've been seeing?" Sally swallowed and couldn't help blushing and crossing her arms over her chest, looking down a little. "Well, now I know why you told me to 'forget everything between us' back at the house—she's quite lovely, Jack, very different, not spooky or scary or a mess of stitches at all." She took a deep breath. "I didn't realize you were still looking for a new holiday to love. My mistake."

Jack blinked a few times (it was going to take a moment to sink in, what she was implying.) "Sally," he started, "I wasn't trying to steal a holiday this time, I swear, I was just seeing Valentine Town and Flora, and…I guess she is quite pretty but…but…" '_Why would she bring up the fact that Flora is pretty? And what does it matter about what I said back at the house? Flora's 'quite lovely'? 'Not a mess of stitches at all'? 'Forget everything'? Looking for a new holiday? What does it all mean? So Flora is a pretty person who's from a different world and who's different than Sally and she's a woman. What does that have to do with anyth—_' Suddenly all of Jack's thoughts stopped and his eye sockets went wide as the full realization of his situation finally sunk in. "Oh…Oh!" Jack jerked away from Flora, unable to help himself, his focus (amid his shock) entirely on Sally. "Sally, you think that she and I have been…that I feel…that I've been sneaking off to be with her instead of you because we've been…" Jack instantly shook his head many times, "O-Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no no!" His jaw practically fell. "Sally, for Halloween's sake, you can't possibly think I'm trying to court her too! I barely know her…and I've never even…and she's ALIVE for starters! I probably have bone marrow older than she is!"

"Erm…" Flora interrupted with half a smile, unable to help herself, "Actually, while I am flesh and blood and bone, I'm also a bit immortal as are the other fleshly holiday leaders…and…that's not really important right now is it? Sorry…" She cleared her throat and stepped back again.

Sally just rolled her eyes and focused on Jack. "No, you're not 'courting' her too, Jack, you're just spending half of your time with her and running away from me to meet her and acting like the only way you can stand to touch me is when you're sleepwalking." Sally frowned more, any scowl giving way to such disappointment in her big eyes. "And you lied to me, Jack. You told me no more holiday worlds, but you lied to me."

Jack frowned, approaching her. "But Sally this is different. Let me explain, you see, in Valentine Town—"

Sally cut him off though, shaking her head, her tone calm but so very sad. "I don't care about 'Valentine Town', I don't care about living citizens—I care about you and our home, Jack. Our town. Why is it not good enough for you anymore?" The question left her mouth before she could think about it, but then Sally pressed on. "You ran away from the town for Christmas…and now you're running away from me for Valentine's. Why are _we_ not good enough for you anymore, Jack? Why?"

Jack blinked. He frowned, his eye sockets drooping a little in sadness. "But, Sally, of course you're good enough for me, and of course our town is good enough for me. You're all more than good enough for me. Listen, you don't understand. Flora's actually the Queen of Valentine Town, and—"

"O-Oh, so part of it is a class issue then, hmm?" Sally couldn't help but mock with a choked chuckle, crossing her arms over her chest again and shrugging. "Of course—you're a King, why shouldn't you pursue a Queen over a silly little servant who's just always cared about you and admired you and adored you and lo…lo…" She couldn't say the word now—it was too humiliating. "Why shouldn't you go spend time with royalty instead of the rest of us poor citizens?"

"Sally, no!" Jack blinked again, putting a hand to his heart. "I would never use my title like that! Please, just let me explain."

Sally then sighed, pouted, but finally gave him a single nod. "Okay, Jack Skellington. Explain everything to me. I'm listening." And then she waited patiently.

"I…" Jack hesitated, "I…um…really?" He tilted his skull to the side.

Sally nodded. "Yes. Explain. I would love to hear this one, Jack Skellington. Explain everything to me about your little trips and your little friend and the way you acted back at the house, and why it's all okay and why I'm making a mistake being this upset. I'm listening."

Flora couldn't help but smile a little. She glanced to Jack. "I like her, Jack, she's quite passionate. Looking at her with the glasses, I'd imagine every unattached young man in Valentine Town wouldn't mind the chance to court her."

Sally blinked at the sudden suggestion from this interloper 'Queen', and then blushed in that purplish way she had and looked down. She knew it was just a little joke, but she still didn't appreciate the comment (not to mention she didn't know this 'Flora' well enough to know if her words were a jest at her expense or an attempt at a compliment, though such a compliment about the idea of dating other men couldn't help but make Sally feel uncomfortable.)

Jack, meanwhile, blanched a bit at Flora's comment and glanced at her with a slight frown. "Flora…" '_The other men in town would see her passion and want to court her…_' It was a concept Jack didn't even want to think about. It had been bad enough less than an hour ago waking up to the shock of Sally possibly leaving him. But the concept of her then going off with somebody else was simply too much to try bearing, even as a joke.

"My apologies," Flora quickly replied to both of them. Then she gave Jack a meaningful look, her voice lowering. "I was just trying to let you understand what you're working with, Jack. Green eyed monster…" She cleared her throat.

Jack raised an eyebrow for a moment. But then he realized what she meant and looked back at Sally, clearing his throat. "Oh, yes, well…all right, Sally…um…yes, please let me explain. And I promise that it's not what you think. And that Flora and I are just friends—really." He took a breath, put his arms behind his back, and then did his best to begin. "W-Well, um…you see, Sally, I was confused a bit about you and I after Christmas Eve night. After our kiss, I wasn't really sure how to tell you how much I like you…after I'd already sort of implied to you how much I like you on Spiral Hill."

Jack blinked and then cringed a little, realizing his logic made almost no sense. "Anyway…let's see, I didn't really know where else to go or who else to talk to about the problem, so I thought going to the holiday door with the heart made the most sense—where better to learn about lo…um…feelings of a romantic nature?" He blanched. "Then I-I met lots of people, and Flora was one of them. But I didn't even know she was their leader until tonight though, I swear! I just assumed they would have a King…because I'm possibly the most ridiculous man who ever existed."

Jack sighed and rubbed one of his temples before finishing. "Anyway, I told her all about us, and she gave me advice and these special candies, you see. And I thought they were just to help a person relax but apparently they do more, at least when in the system of an old skeleton who never tried having a relationship with a woman until now, and especially since I've been taking the candies before bed and I'm always more passionate during the nights. So I've been sleepwalking because the drops were making me unconsciously express parts of myself that I really did not want to express to you. And then after what happened tonight, I came back here to find Flora and to ask for help, but she found me first. And now we were just going to head back to the house to tell you everything and figure things out from there. And that's everything, Sally, really, so you see, you're still the only girl for me and there's no problem at all, and I haven't done anything to hurt you. All right, my dearest friend?" Jack moved forward and smiled, confident that now everything would be settled and she wouldn't be so angry anymore.

On the contrary though, Sally appeared as unhappy as ever (maybe even more so).

"Jack…_everything you just said_ hurts me…" she said softly, her eyes shining slightly with tears.

Jack's smile fell entirely, and inside he felt his bony heart crack. "Wh-What..?" He blinked and tilted his head to the side.

Sally just looked back at him in confusion and frustration but almost in pity too. Then she sighed. "Goodbye, Jack…" And then suddenly Sally turned around and began walking quickly through the woods.

Jack's eye sockets went wide! "Sally!" He reached out and started to run after her.

Sally just picked up her pace though. Maybe she couldn't run as quickly as he could, but she did know how to dash through forests and trees better than him to be sure—she had done so all her life, hiding and sneaking around to keep her freedom safe. "Oh!"

Sally had closed her eyes, letting some tears leak out that she couldn't control. But when she hadn't been looking, her arm had hit a stray tree branch, and unfortunately the branch had caught on that little place of loose stitches still left over from Jack's attempt to sew her earlier. And now Sally paused as she realized that her arm had fallen entirely off of her and into the snow and leaves somewhere. She glanced around, trying to find the limb in the moonlight, but then she heard and saw Jack getting closer. And so Sally abandoned her search (and her arm for the moment), and dashed away as quickly as she could, feeling more tears building.

"Sally, wait!" Jack called after her from not too far behind.

"Leave me alone!" Sally cried back, ducking off to the side among the trees and finding a footpath she knew to lead her back to the familiar landmarks of town.

* * *

As soon as Sally had turned and fled, Jack had raced after her. He had been trying to catch up, but he was so lanky, and going past all of these trees and underbrush pulled at his limbs and coattails a lot. Then he had heard her yell and seen her stop for a moment, upon which he had called out to her, asking her to wait. But then she had just started up and left him, running and darting and hiding until she was out of his sight. And so now, alone in the snow and moonlight, Jack had no idea where Sally had gone to at all.

Jack stopped where he had seen Sally stop, glancing around. _'Where is she? I…._' "Oh!"

He had taken a step forward over some brush and had nearly tripped on something. "What's this…?" Jack bent down and moved away some leaves. And there he found Sally's arm. Jack held up the limb, raising it in his tender grasp like it was the most precious thing in the world. "Sally…" She had lost her poor arm. Poor sweet arm… Jack hugged the arm gently, then pulled back to look at it again.

Then the arm woke up in Jack's arms, and his heart skipped a beat.

Then the arm suddenly opened its fingers in a gasping motion to suggest surprise at seeing him, upon which it arched back in a very jarring way and then made a fist and started bopping him right on the top of the skull!

"Ow!" Jack winced, trying to duck the blows. But, of course, since he was still holding the arm, his efforts were less than successful. "Ow! Oh! Please, stop! Hey, come on, I used to have a soft spot there! Ow!" '_Wow, she really must be upset with me if her limb is doing this even at this distance from her!'_ Finally, Jack put his other hand on top of the arm's hand, holding it down. The arm struggled in his grasp, still clearly ready and waiting to hit him again if it got the chance. "Please," Jack started, speaking in a firm tone but with such a sad look in his eye sockets. "I'm begging you. I know she's mad but just let me explain. I mean explain _more_. Please." He frowned.

The arm struggled a bit more but then finally at least stopped thrashing, though its appearance still suggested wariness.

Jack and the arm had a little bit of a 'stare down'. Then finally Jack let out a breath and let the arm's hand go.

The limb tensed up, looking very ready to attack again, but kept itself tame for now.

Jack gave a nod to the limb. "Thank you." He sighed, frowning more. "I'm sorry…to you and to her. And you probably know where she is, don't you?" He bit his lip.

The hand of the arm turned away stubbornly, giving a little 'shrug' with two of its fingers.

Jack knew the gesture meant 'yes' though. But he also knew that the arm wasn't likely to give him any hints about Sally's whereabouts in its current stubborn state.

"Please, help me find her…" Jack finally beseeched softly, sincerely, unable to think of anything else to do. "It's dark and cold and she's all alone and she's missing you. Please, take me to Sally, and then I can explain everything."

The arm turned its pointed hand to look back at him. But it did nothing to direct him to Sally. It merely continued to 'eye' him warily.

Jack frowned again but still spoke so softly and tenderly to the limb. "I never meant to hurt her. I know I must have been foolish. It's just that I've never done anything like this before, trying to care for a person—a woman—how I care for her." He had never really tried phrasing the depths of his intimacy and issues to another person, but somehow it was happening and actually proving not as difficult as he had thought it would be. But maybe it was because talking to the arm was kind of like talking to Sally…. So maybe that meant he really could talk to Sally about everything then. "I don't know what I'm doing, I make mistakes too…" Jack's gaze went to the arm's hand again. Something about its posture did seem to soften, though it still continued just to look at him.

Jack sighed softly.

Then he let the thing deepest in his heart come out—it was all he had left to possibly sway the passion of the little limb in his grasp. "I love her…you…Sally. I love, Sally. I'm hopelessly, eternally, undeniably in love with Sally. And if there's even the smallest sliver of hope that she might love me too, please take me to her while there's still a chance I can fix this mess." There was nothing else left to say after that—if the arm really wouldn't help him now, he would just have to find Sally on his own. And no matter how long it took, he would search every nook and cranny of this entire holiday world, day and night, until he found her.

The arm locked up entirely in Jack's grasp for a moment.

Then all of the limb's stiffness or hostility went away, and the arm collapsed entirely against Jack's chest, hugging him as best it could.

Jack blinked and then smiled and hugged the arm back. It was almost like being embraced by Sally again. He figured he would have died a thousand deaths and lived a thousand lives to actually be embraced by Sally again.

"Jack?"

Jack blinked and turned around at the sound of Flora's voice. '_Oh dear, I forgot all about her back in the clearing, didn't I?' _She sounded somewhat close though. And then suddenly there was a rustling in the trees, and finally the heart queen stumbled forward through the brush.

"There you are, Jack!" Flora announced with a bright smile. Then she blinked. "Oh, you've got an arm there. Hmm…" she looked at it with interest, "Santa was right—this place is very different. Oh it's very nice, I really think so, it's just different. I think I like it though. Surprises around every corner. I keep wondering what's that and what's this about everything." She smiled a little more but then blinked and looked down. "Oh, I'm sorry, I ddin't mean to get distracted." She looked up at him with concern. "Where is Sally, Jack?"

Jack sighed and hugged the arm (which now was gently touching and caressing his cheek—and even though the gesture felt nice, Jack wished it would stop for a moment now while they weren't alone anymore). "Flora, I'm sorry I left you so suddenly, but Sally is very upset. She ran off somewhere, and I have to go find her. But I think now that it might not be a very good idea for both of us to talk to her at once. Perhaps later sometime, but…I think for now I need to find her myself and that the two of us need to have a long talk alone together. Oh," he held up the arm a little, "This is Sally's. She's a rag doll, you see, and this piece fell off of her. It's going to help me find her." The arm's hand snuggled under Jack's chin. He could feel one of its fingertips getting close to touching and tickling his neck. He blanched a little, glancing away shyly. "Anyway, I-I think you should either wait here for a little while or even return to your own world for now. Whatever you'd like to do."

Flora nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Jack. I may wait in your world for just a little while, at least. If you do need my help at all, just say something about love—I can usually pick up on the scent of that pretty quickly. I'll find my way to you."

Jack nodded, still blanching a little as the hand's index finger continued playing with a vertebrae or two. "All right, thank you…Um, Flora? Before I go, I have a feeling you understand exactly why Sally's so upset with me, beyond just the 'green eyed monster' thing. You couldn't, um…give me a hint, could you?" He had a feeling about what her answer would be to his request, but he had wanted to try just the same.

Flora smiled softly, but gave a light shake of her head. "I'm sorry, Jack. I do understand quite a bit about why she's upset, I think, but you really must talk to her about it. That will be the best way. Just be honest with her. Love will find a way."

Jack smiled softly too. "I had a feeling you'd say that. Yes, I think it will too. All right then, I'll do my best. Thank you, Heart Queen." He gave her a small bow (making the arm settle back down in his grasp for now). "And thank you for coming in the first place, Flora. And I do appreciate the help you tried to give me from the start with all of this, even though it didn't work out."

Flora nodded, giving him a small bow as well. "You're very welcome, Pumpkin King. And I am sorry again for the mess I've let you get into. I've never dabbled much in immortal love, let alone undead love. I suppose I need some more time to learn. But I'll still do my best to help fix it with you."

Jack nodded appreciatively. "I have the utmost faith that you will succeed." And then he looked down a little sheepishly and awkwardly. "Oh, and, um…sorry about that whole 'she's alive!' comment before about you back with Sally. I didn't mean for it to come out how it sounded." He shrugged. "I do think you're very nice and pretty, and alive works on you. But, um…you'll find that preferences here regarding certain things are very different than elsewhere. Most of the food is rotten, everyone's awake half the night, most people are impaled in some way—that kind of thing. And even though I've developed an appreciation for fresh and fleshly things, it hasn't extended to anything romantic." He shuffled his feet. (The arm seemed extra happy to hear this comment and tapped Jack on the lips, causing him to liven up again and blanch entirely and look away so shyly).

Flora smiled and shook her head. "It's all right, Jack—perfectly understandable. I can't say a corpse would be my first choice for a romantic partner either." She let out a small laugh.

Jack smiled and let out a small laugh as well. Then a thought occurred to him, and he raised an eyebrow. "Flora? Can I ask, if it wouldn't be too forward…since you're in charge of love, how…I mean…do you ever love anyone like that?"

Flora blushed a very rosy color for a moment. She still smiled though. "Well…I suppose I just take happiness in helping the loves of others, and in a way I fall a little bit in love with everybody I come to know and help. I suppose it might be nice if I could find a partner to share my life and love with, but I don't think that's what I need right now in my existence." Then she took a step closer to him, looking into his eye sockets. "But I do believe with every bit of holiday intuition I have that love is what you need now in your existence, and Sally too. I feel it in my heart. Go find her, Jack. I know you'll make things right." She smiled.

Jack smiled too and nodded. "I will, Flora. Thank you." He took a step back and gave a graceful bow. "Heart Queen."

"My pleasure." Flora held out the folds of her dress and gave him a bow as well. "Pumpkin King."

The two of them straightened up and gave each other a small wave, and then Flora turned to head back toward the holiday forest clearing and Jack looked back to Sally's arm. "So then…on to Sally, dear arm? Or did you want to affectionately dote upon me some more first?" He couldn't help a warm laugh and the light, playful flirtation with this sweet little piece of his dearest dolly friend.

The arm glanced away coyly…but then let the back of its hand gently nuzzle under Jack's chin.

Jack just smiled more and gave it an affectionate pet. "Lead on then, please."

The arm gave him a thumbs up and then seemed to consider for a moment before pointing forward and to the left.

Jack followed, htough he didn't like the look of the direction in which the arm was taking him. It was sort of and 'old town bridge-ish' direction. He didn't want Sally going there. He didn't want anybody going there actually. In fact, he had decided to close down the bridge for a week as soon as possible and to have the small gorge underneath it filled in, perhaps turned into a landfill or a compost area or even a new swamp. He wanted no trace of Oogie Boogie, and no old lair of misery for anybody to stumble upon. Not to mention, Jack never wanted to have to look down into that dark, dank pit again and think about the harrowing memories of his last time there…His biggest mistake—almost hurting a holiday leader…destroying the happiness of children everywhere…the cries of Sandy and oh the screams of poor Sally…what could have happened to Sally…and the slight guilt and shame he couldn't help but feel now when he thought about the extreme measure he had taken against Oogie Boogie (and how he might have looked to Sally while doing it.)

Jack sighed softly, shaking his skull and coming back to the moment at hand. "Dear arm…" He couldn't think of anything else to address the limb as—'dear arm' seemed nice enough though. "I really hope Sally won't be as mad at me as you were at first. I really hope she can forgive me…and love me." He whispered the lst words as a private little hope for himself.

At the sound of those words, the arm stopped leading on for a moment and turned back to Jack, nuzzling his skull with its hand again.

Jack stopped walking and smiled softly. "Thanks…" he gurgled to the arm. "That feels nice." He really really liked when the arm touched him like—… "O-Oh…" Jack gave the small gasp and straightened up a little. The arm had sort of dragged a finger over his tie, loosening it, and then the palm of its hand came to rest on the center of his chest, clearly pushing and feeling for the bones underneath his shirt in a manner undeniably intimate.

Jack just gulped and looked away very shyly. He actually felt like his knees were quaking… And then suddenly he remembered his thought from Christmas Eve night about kissing Sally and collapsing in the snow with her and not stopping…. He felt like he could have collapsed now himself. "I…" left him softly with a shiver that went up his spine, "P-Please, I love you too, as you are, but take me to Sally now. You can both care for me like this later…if you want."

He was finally able to draw normal breaths again as the arm slipped away, gave a single nod with its hand, and then just settled back into his grasp to continue guiding him onward.

Jack resumed walking once more. And he still wasn't sure how all of this was going to turn out, but he did know one thing: Flora had been right—all of his shyness with Sally and his hesitation with Sally and his avoidance of just talking directly to Sally about his problems had been more doomed to failure from the start than even his Christmas fiasco had been. And he was going to abandon such unnecessary reservations from this moment on before his relationship with Sally turned into even more of a nightmare than Christmas had, no matter what the consequences.

There was still time, and he was going to set things right.

"Sally…" Jack sighed softly, letting his breath escape in a little curl of smoke that wound its way up through the crisp December air to the full and glorious moon above.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I promise, things will get better for Jack and Sally ^_^

Regarding updates, I know I've been doing every two weeks for a while now, but my schedule's changed a lot recently (I'm working a lot, I'm applying to schools, I've got some other writing projects (personal and in other fandoms)). Updates will still be continuing, but they're just going to have to be as I can manage to complete them for now. Thank you all so much for your patience, and I'll try not to make the delays between chapters too long, I promise ^^

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	15. Lending a Helping Hand (or Arm)

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Managed to get this one edited earlier than I expected, and I hope you enjoy it : ) Please review if you can! Thank you!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 15: **

**Lending a Helping Hand (or Arm)**

* * *

All Jewel wanted more than anything else in the world was for Sally to come back home and for the Doctor not to be worried anymore and for the whole town to be able to get back to its business, and maybe for the Pumpkin King to make a quick appearance to really let everyone (including herself) feel like they were safe and that he had their concerns in mind. Then Jewel figured she and the doctor could finally get back to their own quiet life. And maybe with Sally around again, Jewel could come to better understand how to interact and live in this strange world of theirs that was so new to her…and maybe she could also figure out some of these strange, very specific but unknown 'feelings' she had been sensing a desire for inside of herself lately ('feelings' that were often specifically directed toward the Doctor). But Jewel just hoped most of all that Sally would turn out to be as nice and friendly as she imagined she might be, and that maybe they could be friends and even like family in a way. It would be nice to have another creation around the manor.

Yet, despite Jewel's great interest about Sally, sadly enough the Doctor would not let his newest creation join the town in looking for the missing rag doll. When Jewel had offered to accompany him in his own part of the search, Dr. Finkelstein had immediately refused the assistance and also plainly told her to stay and wait in the manor while the other townspeople looked. There was cleaning to do and a dinner to prepare for the Doctor when he got home, and not to mention he couldn't risk her getting lost too or hurt or something. He wanted her here and safe. As he had assured her, "I'm just going to go look around the town center a little while the others are looking in the surrounding areas. I'll be home very soon. Then I'll need you here with me for dinner and to assist with a few experiments I have to work on. And someone responsible should stay here also in case Sally comes home. Jewel, you're too young for the excitement of a search like this. It's just too dangerous to have you out there with this whole town in an uproar and rumors of Oogie Boogie's return floating around."

Despite how much the command for her not to leave the house might have sounded like an exact repetition of the Doctor's one rule for Sally, it was certainly delivered in a manner much kinder and more full of care than any order Doctor Finkelstein had ever given to his first creation. Indeed, Jewel had heard the Doctor's tone soften as he spoke and she had watched him frown and sigh softly. He had even taken her hand as he had spoken to her and looked into her eyes, like he really would have let join the search if she'd had more life experience or if the circumstances weren't so dangerous and if someone really didn't have to stay back here just in case Sally came home. "Just wait please, my precious Jewel, and try not to feel too lonely." These had been the last words of the Doctor to her before he had given her hand a gentle squeeze and then departed.

At first, Jewel had waited by herself and just tried not to feel lonely, like the doctor had said. But then she got an idea…

If Sally did suddenly return here during the brief time that the Doctor was out (and Jewel found the probability of her returning so suddenly to be very minimal at this point considering how long she had been missing), Sally knew the house well enough that she would need no one to greet her or be with her—if she had been out and lost certainly she would just come in, possibly make herself a small meal, and then go up to her warm bed. Then the Doctor would come back and find her and everything would be fine.

But going with the higher probability that Sally would not return within the next half hour or so…

Jewel could easily see a fatal flaw in this search plan of the town's: two fatal flaws, to be precise. First, everyone could not just 'avoid' Oogie Boogie's old lair until tomorrow sometime or until whenever Jack would be available to search it himself (and Jewel had a suspicion from the fears everyone had expressed at the town meeting that people would ultimately try to stall on searching that place for as long as they could until Jack really was available). A person was missing, time was of the essence—suppose Sally really was trapped down there right now?! Hurt or injured and unable to leave…. By the morning or later she could be beyond hope. Somebody needed to search there now!

The second fatal flaw in the town's plan was that somebody needed to be looking for Jack again as well, especially if they were relying on him to spearhead the search for Sally as soon as possible (not only had he been scarce in town lately again, but the lights at his house hadn't come on yet this evening, suggesting that he wasn't at home at all at the moment). But they couldn't just look for him at his usual haunts—people needed to start searching for him as thoroughly as they were searching for Sally, people needed to look for him where no one had looked yet.

The old town bridge and the gorge leading to Oogie's lair—that was one area where no one had looked yet for anyone…

So Jewel could only come to one logical conclusion of course: she would have to go off now and search the gorge and Oogie's lair herself for Jack or Sally.

Jewel knew in the most intellectually sound part of her brain that she was perfectly capable of performing a calm, unexcited, and thorough search of a given area, not to mention she desperately wanted to help in any way she could. She already felt like close friends with Sally even though the two girls hadn't even met, and she would have experienced a sensation of such…'badness' inside of her if anything bad happened to Sally.

Jewel sighed softly, heading to the kitchen in the manor now to prepare some things before she went off. There must be other, more detailed ways to describe emotions, but all that ever occurred to her to express how she experienced extreme things in her life were variations on 'bad' or 'good'. She had decided, when all of this was done, to ask the doctor if he could help her feel in a more accurate way somehow. Sally seemed to have had a full spectrum of feelings (the doctor always described her in the memories he related in terms of her emotions, after all—Sally was 'scared', Sally was 'restless', Sally was 'guilty', Sally was 'frustrated', Sally was 'grateful'). Jewel would get help from him or from Sally for her 'emotion' problem, whatever would work best.

In the meantime, though, if she really was going to go through with her plan to visit the gorge, she at least wanted to make sure that the Doctor had dinner when he got back (and that Sally might have something ready to eat too just in case she did pop home or was recovered before Jewel returned). She set a pot of stew to simmering and set up a tray with bowl and spoon and napkin for the Doctor and a teacup. Next, she put a kettle of tea on the stovetop too. Then she turned and gave a light whistle.

Soon a familiar lab assistant with a limp came around the corner. "Yes, mistress?" he asked with his lisp.

Jewel smiled at Igor. "Igor, the doctor is going to come back soon. In case I'm not back first, you tell him his dinner is in here, all right? And that there's some for Sally too if she happens to come back."

Igor nodded, rubbing his hands together. "Oh yes, mistress, of course. Master's dinner right here. Sally can have some too." He laughed a little.

Jewel nodded. "Thank you. And also tell the Doctor that I'm sorry, but the reason I left is that I needed to help with the search for Sally. It just makes scientific sense. And I'll be back once I've made sure we've really checked everywhere for Sally and for the Pumpkin King too, all right?"

It took Igor a moment to finish absorbing all of that information, but then he smiled and nodded again. "Yes, mistress went to find Miss Sally and to help the town check everywhere for Jack too. Scientific sense." He nodded, proud at condensing all of that into sentences he could remember.

Jewel looked at him with pride for his accomplishment as well. "Good, Igor, very good." She patted him on the head. "Are you hungry?" she asked pleasantly.

Igor nodded. "Oh, yes, mistress—Igor hungry!"

Jewel nodded. "Very well." She walked over to the icebox. Doctor Finkelstein often fed Igor Bone Biscuits, which Jewel frankly found disturbing—Igor was not a pet, he was their assistant, and therefore in this instance the Doctor's behavior was quite illogical to her and thus more than open to being amended. So, though Igor seemed to like the Bone Biscuit snacks, she would feed him other things too from time to time. Jewel pulled a nice mushroom and fennel and worms wart sandwich (with grave stone ground mustard too!) out of the icebox and turned back to Igor. "Here you go, Igor!" She presented him the snack.

Igor beamed, snatched up the sandwich, and practically gobbled down all of it at once! He smiled when he was done despite how much of a mess he had made of himself.

Jewel just giggled and grabbed an old rag, then bent down to clean him up. "Oh, Igor, so messy!" she teased. "We'll have to make sure you get a bath when all of this is over."

Igor shuddered and pulled back a bit.

Jewel just giggled again as she straightened up and put the rag aside. "If you take a bath…maybe I'll make a nice devils food cake for you…" She let the offer linger.

Igor considered, then seemed satisfied and nodded. "Yes, mistress, Igor will be clean for cake."

Jewel nodded. "Very good. You can go now, Igor."

Igor gave her a bow and then limped away.

Jewel sighed softly. "Now if only I could get him and the Doctor to start using utensils to eat…" Between Igor shoving things in his face and the doctor chugging his soups and stews straight from the bowl, Jewel couldn't believe them sometimes. No wonder Sally had often been overwhelmed. But Jewel was hoping she could help bring some more civility to both the Doctor and Igor—her two boys. They were her family to her, and she had a very… 'good' feeling about that. 'Happy' seemed like the technical word for it, but she sensed was something more complex there as well that she couldn't quite grasp.

Jewel shook her head though: she had no time to worry about trying to understand emotions now. She had to go out and hopefully find Sally or Jack or both—and at the very least she would be able to eliminate one very big searching spot from the town's agenda. And then in the morning, if Jewel's search for Sally near Oogie Boogie's gorge really did turn up nothing, the town could make other plans for how to go about finding their missing citizen (and for how to go about coaxing the Pumpkin King back into Halloween Town life).

Jewel sighed with concern as she headed out of the kitchen, down into the lab, and then finally left the house. She thought to herself as she walked down the drive to the manor gate. '_There's only one potential point of error in my plan. If I go to the gorge and find Oogie Boogie alive, I'll have no idea what to do_.' She hadn't a clue how to defend herself against such a monster as people described him as. She could only hope at worst he was weak and possibly could be persuaded by reason.

Ultimately Jewel just hoped to be back here soon. The manor was home to her, and she liked the place…and she felt a small ethical qualm about disobeying the Doctor's heartfelt request by going off alone. But her doubts were well outweighed by her own logic regarding her plan as well as her continued desire for Sally to be back and Jack to be well and for the whole town to be at peace again so that she and the Doctor could go back to their good life together.

Jewel reached the road now and followed the sign to the old town bridge and the gorge…

* * *

Back inside, Igor watched through a window as his new mistress went away from their home.

He liked this new creation of the Doctor's, this Jewel. She spoke kindly to him and fed him very well, even if she did insist on everything being clean all the time. He hoped she would stay around. Sally had been around once, but now she was gone. Sally had been nice too, though they hadn't talked much. Then again though, she had always been busy running away.

Igor's gaze went over to Jack's house.

Igor had used to watch Sally from this same window when she snuck off sometimes. She seemed to go toward that house a lot. He wondered if she and the Pumpkin King were special friends. He had never told anything to the Doctor about what he had seen or what he wondered though—the Doctor always yelled when he found out Sally had run off, and Igor hated yelling.

With a sigh, Igor went away from the window now and limped back into the kitchen. He would wait patiently for his master—Jewel would like that, and he wanted to please Jewel. And Jewel didn't run away and she seemed happy here, so maybe she would stay and be the Doctor's very good friend. And then Sally and Jack could come back to town and be very good friends too. That seemed like a nice outcome for everything.

Whatever happened though, Igor was just grateful for one thing: no more Christmas stuff. Dr. Finkelstein had electrocuted him one too many times while trying to build those flying reindeer, and frankly Igor wanted no part of any of it. He just wanted to bring the plans and pull the switch and help the Doctor celebrate his successes. Doing those things had always made Igor sort of happy, but now with Jewel to recognize his efforts and to talk to him kindly he felt very very happy doing his job and being the best frightful assistant he could be.

Besides, if Jack and Sally really were going to be very close now, maybe Sally could talk to Jack, and then Igor would be able to get more of a part in the Halloween parade—he would have loved that so much!

Igor would ask Sally about it when he came home to town, which he hoped would be soon especially since everyone seemed so worried about her.

* * *

Jewel leaving the Finkelstein manor to find Sally had coincided with the moment Sally had caught Jack talking to Flora in the Holiday forest, fought with him, and then run off.

In the present now, Sally, a few tears still building in her eyes, her hair a mess from dashing through the trees, and her arm still missing of course, was now moving carefully through the woods, taking the back ways toward Jack's house. She didn't want any of the townspeople seeing her in a state like this, and she was hoping that by taking a different route Jack wouldn't think to look at the house for her right away. She didn't want to see him most of all.

Sally had done her best to dart quickly away from him at first to put distance between them and make him lose sight of her, so now she felt she was entitled to slow down her pace to a quick, firm walk. Doing so made trying to keep the stuffing in her arm an easier job and gave her a chance now to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Sally felt so awful right now. In fact, she couldn't remember feeling worse in her entire life. This whole evening had been beyond upsetting to her—like taking a big whiff of frog's breath and feeling her senses reeling and her whole picture of the world distorting all of a sudden. Jack really had been coming to her in the night, Jack hadn't meant a word of what he had said to her in the night, Jack had been running off to holiday worlds again even after promising her he wouldn't, Jack had been making friends with another woman. And Jack really didn't see why she should be hurt by any of this? Really? Not at all?

He had basically just revealed to her that he didn't trust her—not with his whereabouts, not with his feelings, and not even enough to be able to live with her without some little potion to get him through it all. '_Oh what was I thinking? He'll never love me, not really…' _Sally thought to herself with such a frown. He would just find her charming, amusing, splendid like a pretty, new Christmas ornament, but he would never burn inside for her.

The saddest part of everything to Sally though was that despite her efforts to preserve her pride and despite her determination to walk away from this situation with her dignity, she still burned quite strongly for him.

And it hadn't exactly helped make that burning feel any more bearable watching him interact so comfortably and intimately with another woman for the first time.

"Hmm…" Sally scoffed to herself and pouted, her tears almost gone, "He says he doesn't like her because she's not even dead, but look how much he liked everyone being all warm and rosy in Christmas Town. Whether he realizes it or not, it does appeal to him. Well, I can't be alive, Jack, anymore than you can. No one in this town can. We don't spread joy or enjoy fresh things or sing sweet songs—we scare each other and make everything around us rotten and chant songs to terrify people half to death. And if that's not good enough for you then…oh, then just go be King of somewhere and something else! We'll all be fine here, I'm sure!" Sally sighed, her look softening despite the conviction (and deep jealousy) in her tone.

All she wanted really in her heart was for Jack to be happy here and for him to be here with her.

But perhaps he really couldn't be. And Sally knew she would have to accept that fact if it really was the case. She couldn't force him to be happy, and she couldn't force him to do things he didn't want to do. She would always love him, but maybe they just couldn't share a life together, not really.

So Sally planned to head back to her little tower now. She had decided to spend one last night there. Then tomorrow she would pack up the few things that were hers and leave. Certainly, if she went around town looking, someone would be able to give her a place to stay in exchange for her doing some chores and sewing. She would try the Mayor first—he always seemed a bit frazzled, like he could use a good assistant, and even if he didn't need any help she was sure she could convince him to maybe let her spend a few nights in the rafters of the town hall until she got on her feet.

The point was, Sally would do just about any honest thing to see to caring for herself if it meant she didn't have to degrade herself by going back to the Doctor's house and if it meant she didn't have to torture herself by staying at Jack's house.

Sally had reached the edge of the hinterland woods at this point in her flight, and as she stepped into the open air of the fields outside of Halloween Town now underneath the full moon's light, she finally let herself walk at her normal pace. She glanced at her surroundings. '_I'm not too far from the old town bridge._' Good, that was the most deserted area in town thanks to it being right near Oogie Boogie's lair, and even if he was gone she doubted the other citizens were too keen about poking around here. Even she herself felt a little uneasy wandering out here alone at night, and with one arm no less. Though, quite frankly, with how much Jack had riled her up and her experiences at Christmas, even if she suddenly slipped and fell right into that lair and came face to face with Oogie Boogie again she felt like her scorn at the moment could have given him quite the run for his money. Sally was not a person to be messed with right now, that much was clear.

"Oh, help me please! I think I'm scared, or that I should be scared! Please! Anybody, if anybody's there! Unless it's that mean Oogie Boogie, in which case please stay away, please. Oh dear…"

These soft cries met Sally's ears, and she paused and listened with wide eyes. Somebody's voice…But who…But, no, wait, she knew that voice. She… Sally gasped. "The Doctor's Jewel!" Sally glanced around but unfortunately could not see the owner of the voice anywhere—just the normal nighttime scene complete with full moon and the rickety old bridge up ahead.

"Please, anybody, if you're there? I'm cold. And I'm of no use to anyone stuck down here." There was a deep sigh and then the softer addition of, "The Doctor was right. Wandering off is a bad thing when I'm so young. Sally probably knew much better than me and knew how to keep herself safe. I just wish I could have found Sally—at least we could have kept each other company."

Sally couldn't know, but right now Jewel would have cried if she'd had it in her emotionally to do so. Jewel knew she felt bad, but had no access to true despair: she was just alone and hoping things would get better.

What Sally did know now though was that the voice was coming from somewhere near the bridge—probably not all the way down in Oogie's lair since it didn't sound that far away, but still…

With worry, Sally slowly crept over to the bridge and knelt upon the sparse grass. The rag doll popped her head over the edge of the gorge below and looked down. She bit her lip, not knowing what to say first but deciding to start with… "Um…hello?"

A gasp met her ears, and then in the dim moonlight shining down into the gorge, upon a rock ledge several feet down, Sally could just make out a pale white figure in a grey dress standing.

The person looked up at her and suddenly asked in surprise, "Hello! Are you Oogie Boogie?"

Sally blinked. The question was so strange, she almost could have laughed before responding. But she stopped herself, not wanting to make Jewel feel silly. Jewel was new to existence, and Sally still remembered being new to existence…and how the Doctor had always laughed every time she would misunderstand something or ask a simple (if silly) question like what kind of tea should she spoon into a dish when a recipe called for 'teaspoons' of something, or if the phrase 'scare you out of your pants' applied to her since she wore dresses (and if that fact made her scare-proof somehow), or like the first time the Doctor had ever given her a note to deliver to some person called 'The Pumpkin King' and Sally had gone out into the pumpkin patch and looked and looked for a pumpkin with a crown but had never found one and so had come back to the Doctor filled with disappointment.

So Sally had a great deal of sympathy for needing time to adjust to their Halloween world. And as such, she smiled down warmly at the woman below and merely shook her head in response to her question. "No, I'm not Oogie Boogie, I promise. But I think somehow you know me. My name's Sally. And you're…Doctor Finkelstein's new Jewel, right? It's nice to meet you." Then Sally couldn't help but frown. "How did you get down there?"

But Jewel was far too excited to answer Sally's concern. "Oh! Sally! Hello!" Jewel stood up a little higher and waved as best she could. "Oh there you are, and you're safe! Everyone will be so happy to hear that! They're all out looking for you, you know—the Doctor organized everybody. Oh Sally, don't worry about me right now. Please, run back to town and let Dr. Finkelstein know you're all right, then you can come and bring me help. I'll be fine for a little while. I'm just so glad you're not even further down here and really hurt or worse!"

Sally blinked a few times at this response. _'Well, the doctor certainly made sure she was selfless as could be.' _She raised an eyebrow in surprise but then shook her head. "Jewel, I can't just leave you down there. You'll be all alone, and it's very scary out here and it can be dangerous. And I don't matter so much anyway, really. Besides, you must have fallen to get that far down—are you hurt at all?"

Jewel shook her head. "Oh no, I'm fine. I was just trying to peek down into the gorge to see if there was a passage down to the bottom, but then I slipped and fell down to this rock. I'm not hurt. But I can't find a way to get up or down." Jewel blinked and then brightened a little. "Actually, you must be the best person to help me—the doctor always talks about how clever you were at running away and escaping the manor house. I'm sure you'll come up with a good idea."

Sally swallowed and shrugged in a touch of embarrassment. "O-Oh, well, um…I'll try."

"Thank you, Sally," Jewel called up appreciatively. Then another thought occurred to her and she smiled again and added, "Oh Sally, there's something else—along with you, everybody's been trying to get a hold of Jack too lately. You know, the Pumpkin King. You don't know anything about what's going on with him, do you?"

Sally, who was now sitting up against a post of the bridge, just sighed. "Fear of commitment seems to be one thing…" she mumbled a little dryly.

"Fear of…what, Sally?" asked Jewel curiously.

Sally sighed again but smiled down at her this time. "Oh um, not fear—I said…_fatigue_. Yes, he's been through a lot over the last couple of months, so I think he's been very tired. He's just needed rest. Don't worry about him at all," she assured kindly. "You're the important one here now, and I'm going to do my best to get you safe."

Jewel smiled up at her brightly. "I knew you could do it, Sally. Thank you."

Sally swallowed and bit her lip but tried to remain optimistic sounding as she nodded. "You're welcome, Jewel. I know I can figure this out. Um…I'll be right back. I just need a minute to sort out a plan. I'll stay right near the bridge though, I promise."

"All right, that's sensible. I'll be waiting, Sally!" Jewel called back up, still seeming quite calm about everything.

Sally nodded and then slipped off to the side near a tree.

Then she let out a deep breath, her smile falling.

Sally had a problem.

She had no climbing skills, no rope, no ladder, and on top of which she was missing an arm! '_How am I going to get Jewel out of there?_' Her only option seemed to be running to the town for help, though she hated to leave Jewel alone, not to mention the idea of going back to everyone right now made her sick inside. They were all looking for her? Dr. Finkelstein too? But why? Okay, fine, the Doctor might want her back as his 'property' or something silly, but what did she matter to everyone else? Oh, he had probably gotten then all riled up, demanded a full search, gone on and on about how she was his belonging and he needed her recovered…. She would hate all of that attention, hate thinking of how they must see her now, hate the snicker of the Doctor as she came back to him once again in her life lost and without protection and with no arm.

But Sally knew it was selfish to care about those things when Jewel was stuck down in that gorge. So if the situation got desperate, she would go back to the town and the Doctor even though she wouldn't like it. But for now she tried to think of something else.

But of course the only person she knew who had ever even been near Oogie's lair before and who would have the best idea of how to fix this situation, was—

Sally blushed a little and looked down with an angry pout, crossing her one arm over her chest. "I'll go to town and personally carry the Doctor's chair out here on my back before I'll go ask _him_ for anything anymore." She would do just about anything, even acting like she needed the Doctor, to show that she didn't need Jack.

Sally let out a breath to calm herself and considered for a few more moments. The angry look on her face started to calm and turn to one of concern. Really, what was she going to do? Sally glanced at her torn in half limb and frowned. She tried to push some of the already falling out leaves back into it again, and then sighed. "Maybe I could summon my arm back to me. The distance is a little far, but maybe…" Sally closed her eyes and tried to concentrate really hard, begging her arm to please come home to her where it belonged.

"Wh-Whoa!" suddenly came somebody's very familiar voice to Sally's ears, along with the sound of woodland brush being pushed aside and branches being snapped.

Sally blinked and looked up, both in surprise and an anticipation she had never been able to help at the sound of that voice, only to see Jack Skellington come stumbling out of the edge of the forest, her arm in his grasp and the limb clearly all but dragging his forward.

Jack raised an eyebrow at her appendage. "Dear arm, what was that for? Did you sense something? I…" Jack Skellington paused and blinked a few times. His gaze was now over by Sally standing underneath the tree ahead. "Oh…" And then he swallowed and looked so strange to Sally for a moment…. She had been seeing him get that look every once in a while with her since Christmas but she just couldn't place it. If she hadn't known better though, she almost would have thought it was fear.

Sally felt herself compelled to observe his face more closely, but then she recalled that she was supposed to be very mad at Jack at the moment, and so she frowned and looked away from him, standing up straight with her head held high with pride.

Meanwhile, still paused not far from edge of the forest, Jack just continued to gaze at Sally. He frowned a little as she turned from him. '_Oh she really must be upset with me_…' "Ow!" He winced. He looked down to see the arm had just given him a little flick on the shoulder and now it was pointing quite distinctly over at Sally. Jack, of course, knew what it wanted. He sighed, took a deep breath, and started to shuffle forward, mumbling to himself. "We need to have a talk. We need to have such a talk…but not out here. I need to convince her to come with me back to the house or even to Spiral Hill."

He didn't have the chance to ask her though as he was stopped instantly in his thoughts and his approach by Sally who had suddenly stepped away from her place by the tree and approached him.

She stood directly before him now, her firm and cool gaze meeting his. She let out a breath and spoke calmly. "I don't want to see you very much right now, Jack Skellington. I'm very upset with you. But I do need your help with something. And somebody else does too. Do you think you could do that?" She continued to look with seriousness to his eye sockets (though a slightly awkward blush couldn't help lightly tinging her cheeks a pale violet color).

A wide-eyed Jack just blinked once and then nodded to the odd request. "Oh, um…yes. Of course. Whatever you…" Then he shook his head to clear it. "But, wait, Sally, listen, I have to tell you something I—"

"Jack," Sally stated simply, politely cutting him off and holding up her one hand. "Please. Not right now. Just help me. Then I don't care what we do." Then she turned and started to walk off toward the edge of the gorge.

Jack raised an eyebrow and raced after her, trying his best to smile. "Sally, you don't mean that. What about our dates and our times together...? We both still care about each other…"

"Hmm…" Sally crossed her one arm over her chest and kept her eyes forward. "Is that you talking or those funny candies from your pretty little Valentine Queen friend?" She pouted.

Jack pouted at first as dwell but then scowled in a touch of frustration. "Sally, she has a name—it's Flora—and she was just trying to help. Please don't be mad at her. Anything that upset you is all my fault."

Sally just sighed and shook her head, almost having to brush a tear away from her eye. "Believe me, I _know_."

Jack blinked and then pouted a little more. This whole conversation was so…strange. He couldn't recall ever having anything like it with anybody else. There was almost an urge to walk away from it in distaste and yet a much stronger compulsion to stick with it and learn more about what was going on right now between himself and Sally. Jack looked back to the arm in his hand (who had been 'watching' the argument with interest). "Is she always this stubborn?" he asked the little limb.

The arm glanced back at him and rolled its hand 'face' in sort of an eye rolling gesture. Then it touched him on the mouth, touched him on the heart, then pointed at Sally, and then turned back to him with impatience. Jack glanced away a touch shyly, knowing what it wanted. "Okay, okay, just give me a minute…" he mumbled softly.

"Don't talk about me with my limbs, please." Jack suddenly stopped walking as Sally now stood in front of him again. "And I am not stubborn. I'm tired." She reached out and took the arm's hand, upon which the limb instantly jumped into its mistress's grasp. She looked Jack right in the eye sockets as she went on. "You weren't the only one who barely got any rest during the last two months, Jack Skellington. Some of us were running around like crazy trying to please your many demands about Christmas and also in my case trying to make sure you didn't get yourself or anybody else killed. Now please come with me. I told you, somebody needs our help." She turned back to the gorge and went over to stand at the edge of it near the bridge (placing her arm on the ground for the moment).

"I just asked everyone to do one thing each!" Jack frowned stubbornly, walking over to her. "And Christmas could have worked out. It really came close until the end there! I just went about it wrong. We could still celebrate it…" something in his tone softened, "You said you'd still celebrate it together with me, after all…remember?" He looked down at the ground in thought.

Sally's features softened as well for just a moment. She recalled the image she'd had in mind when she had made that offer to him a couple of days ago to celebrate Christmas together in the future: the two of them by a pretty tree (that didn't go up in ominous flames—yay!) with glittering decorations and Jack trying to cut out paper snow flakes but sighing and finally laughing when they all turned into intricate spiders, and she would make black sugar cookies and be dressed in a warm green and red patchwork dress. Then she would set down the cookies and come stand near Jack, smiling and rocking back and forth on her heels shyly. And he would look at her with an intrigued smile and an eyebrow raised. Then she would glance up above them to find some mistletoe, and he would grin and take her in his arms and dip her back and kiss her. Then later she would ask him if he thought Santa might come to visit their own children one day, just out of curiosity…

Sally shook her head, coming out of the daydream. She blinked a few times, trying to scowl again…but then she almost smiled. She had to. "It's three days after Christmas and you're already talking about next Christmas. Silly Skeleton man…" she replied softly. It was just so like Jack to be that impulsive—she couldn't help finding it amusing.

Jack quirked his mouth to the side almost in a touch of embarrassment. His gaze came up to her again. "I'm supposed to think about next Halloween the second it's over every year. It's not so silly to think about Christmas too…" He clasped his hands together in front of himself.

"Are you thinking of next Valentine's Day too?" Sally couldn't help the response. She was feeling so on the verge of forgiving him, but still they needed to talk before anything like that happened, and she was still hurt. Yet…

"I would prefer not to celebrate that holiday. I don't think I'd be very good at it," came the quiet reply to her ears.

Sally blinked and looked at Jack—his eye sockets were wide and cast down a little. Was that…humility…from Jack Skellington? Jack Skellington, the man with the biggest undead secret ego there ever was? "Does your new Queen not want to share her holiday, King Jack?" Sally asked with a touch of interest that she tried to mellow with a coolness in her tone.

Jack took a deep breath. "You know, the titles aren't really 'royal' titles," he started dryly, looking up more again. "It's more of a symbolic thing. I may take off my head to recite the occasional Shakespearian quotation, but I'm not actually descended from some Hamlet-like royal ancient court."

"Well, at least your Queen has blood, even if it can't really be royal. That's more than anybody here could give you." Sally sighed and looked away.

Jack scowled a little, putting his hands on his hips. "Are you suggesting something about me?"

"You know, twice now I've called her 'your Queen' and you haven't said anything about it." Sally turned back to him, putting her one attached hand on her hip. (Meanwhile, Sally's free arm was on the ground, looking back and forth between Jack and Sally as they fought in worry.)

Jack just scoffed and shook his head, leaning in closer to her. "You know, for somebody who doesn't want to speak to me right now and who doesn't care what we do after this, you certainly are speaking to me a lot and showing a lot of concern for what's going to happen after tonight."

Sally blinked and blushed slightly, then glanced away. "And there's a third time you've said nothing about her being your Queen."

Jack let out a deep sigh. He closed his eye sockets and rubbed one of his temples. "Flora is not my Queen. There, is that to your satisfaction, Sally?" He opened his eye sockets and tried to keep his tone and gaze level, though he was clearly quite adorably annoyed.

Sally smiled a little. "Oh. Well, it doesn't matter to me anyway." She shrugged casually, looking away again, smiling more. "But if you insist—fine, she's not your Queen."

Jack blinked, looked at her with wide eye sockets for a moment, and then let out a deep sigh of frustration and confusion, rolling his eye sockets. "You know, Sally, you're quite cute when you're angry, but there is a limit."

Sally smiled a tiny bit more, but did her best to hide it. "And you're cute when you're acting like a true royal prince who can do no wrong and who basks in the glory of being followed by everyone, but there is a limit to that too, _Jack Skellington_."

"Stop saying my name like that!" Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "It…It bothers me."

"Oh yes, I should really just call you by your title, _oh mighty Pumpkin King_!" Sally made a bowing motion and laughed.

"Mmm…" Jack moaned in frustration. "We have been over this, the title is just symbolic!"

"Um…excuse me? Both of you? Sally and…whoever you are… Oh, is this maybe the Pumpkin King? How astounding-I thought the odds were statistically impossible that we'd find you both together. Oh but, I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt. Really, your conversation is…quite fascinating to me. I've never heard two beings talk to each other like this. The way you interact is so scientifically mesmerizing. But now that the content of your talk is starting to repeat itself, I was wondering if you could pause for a moment to help me out of here? Oh but then please continue this…this…fighting, is it? It's like fighting but also not like fighting. I like it." The most endearing part of this whole speech was that it was devoid of sarcasm. Jewel, from her place still down in the gorge, sincerely wanted to hear more of this strange way Sally and this other creature were talking to each other. So full of…oh, something…It seemed like a bad conversation and yet there was some kind of goodness underlying it. She wanted to know more.

Jack staggered in surprise at the sudden voice coming from underground, and then looked down into the gorge. "Oh my. Who's that?"

Sally just blushed a little bit and turned to the mouth of the gorge too, playing with her hair with her attached arm and trying to ignore how quite heart-pounding all of that back and forth with Jack had been just now. 'Scientifically mesmerizing' was not even close to the world to describe its thrill, not at all. "Oh…um, I'm sorry, Jewel." Sally cleared her throat, addressing the creation below her. "Yes, you're right, this is Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. He's going to help us get you out of there." Sally glanced at Jack now. "Jack, this is Jewel. You know her—she's the Doctor's new creation. She…well…apparently the town is out looking for me, and for you too." She swallowed, trying to keep calm. "Jewel came to look for us here, and she slipped. And now needs help getting out."

"Everyone's out looking for us?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow "But…why? I know I've been scarce lately and you've probably been spending most of your time at the house, but still…"

"Jack, it doesn't matter why." Sally looked up at him with a slight frown, trying to keep some tears back. "They want you because they need you to help them through any kind of crisis." She scowled a little and looked down. "I'm sure they just want me back because this is the longest amount of time Dr. Finkelstein hasn't been able to find me." She blushed.

Jack blinked. "Hasn't been able to…Sally, you haven't told the doctor where you've been…at all?!" His eye sockets went wide. "Well, no wonder he's worried! For all he knows you're lying in a ditch somewhere! We have to let everyone know you're alright."

Sally just sighed though and shrugged. "The Doctor's not a very 'concerned' person, Jack. He has other interests in me." She wiped a tear away from her eye with the heel of her attached hand just before the drop fell. "Jack, listen…" Sally sighed, pulling a needle and thread out of her hair and pocket respectively, "I think I'll be fine now that I have my arm again. Please just go back to town, let them know you're okay, and tell them I'm all right but want to be left alone. I'll figure out a way rescue Jewel and guide her back to town on my own, and then I'll work about what to do next for myself."

"But when…" Jack started hesitantly, "When…would you be coming back to our house?"

Sally's eyes went wide, and she knew that if she had a heart, it would have stopped.

Jack had just referred to that lovely manor of his as 'their' house.

"Jack…" Sally's voice was soft, and she looked down and away more, shaking her head a little.

Jack only moved closer to her though, his own voice softening and lowering too. "Sally, fine, you can tell me what you want to do later, whenever you're ready. But for now I'm not leaving you. You have no rope or tools, and Jewel's too far down there. You'll never be able to get her alone. I couldn't get her alone either. Let's work together. Then we'll worry about what to do after that. For Jewel's sake…please." He looked down, trying to catch her eyes.

Sally paused for a moment but then finally nodded. "All right, Jack. We can do that."

Jack let out a light sight of relief. "Thank you." Then he swallowed and added, "But Sally, I…I will have to let the townspeople know immediately that we're both safe and where we are and where Jewel is."

Sally looked up to him in a touch of panic for a moment.

Jack put a hand on her shoulder and spoke calmly to her. "They're our family. We can't let them worry if we can help it. I promise though, whatever happens, you'll be able to live your life however you want to with no bother from anybody. You have my word." And then Jack, a touch shakily, lifted up her attached hand, looked into her eyes, and kissed the back of it softly.

When he stopped he sighed and looked to her, awaiting a reply.

Blushing lightly, Sally just nodded, her eyes never leaving his eye sockets.

Jack smiled a little. Then he let her go and took a step back. He put two fingers in his mouth and gave a sudden sharp whistle.

There was silence for a moment and then the sound of far off barking from the direction of the graveyard. It took a few seconds, but suddenly Zero floated down between them, barking and smiling and giving them both kisses.

Both Jack and Sally couldn't help smiling and even laughing a little at Zero's affection.

Finally Jack looked at Zero and spoke to him. "Zero, old friend, I need you to do me a favor. Fly back to town, please, and let the mayor know that Sally and myself are safe and at the bridge. And tell him we've found Jewel and that everybody should be back at town soon. And I'll call a town meeting to explain as much as I can of everything to them. All right?"

Zero nodded, did a flip in the air, gave his master and mistress one last kiss, and finally was off.

"Thank you!" Jack called after him, waving.

Then Jack looked to Sally again, a soft smile still upon his features. He held out his hand to her. "Come on, Sally, we'll fix this…together."

Sally smiled a little, unable to help herself. But she hesitated taking the offer of his hand. "Um, just a moment, Jack. It's easier for me to sew my arm back on when I'm on the ground." She knelt down, raising up her needle and thread as her unattached arm moved toward her

Jack smiled a little more and knelt along with her. "Oh, um…well, speaking of…could I help you again perhaps with the sew—" Jack paused. He was just looking at Sally's arm, and he looked like his thoughts were deep and expanding.

Sally noticed and raised an eyebrow at him. "Jack? What is it?"

Jack was quiet for a moment longer. Then he looked to her eyes and smiled brightly. "I have an idea. For how to save Jewel, I mean."

Sally smiled. "Oh. What is it, Jack?"

Jack smiled a little more.

Then he reached up to the top of one of his arms, grimaced a little as he twisted his shoulder a certain way, a popping sound was heard…and then Jack carefully slipped his entire (and now detached) skeleton arm right out of his Jacket sleeve. He held it up to Sally with an excited grin. "Just listen. I promise, I promise it's good."

Sally only raised her eyebrow higher in further puzzlement, but she nodded to him just the same. He was the most creative man in town, after all, he deserved the benefit of the doubt. "Okay, Jack. What did you have in mind?" All the while as she asked this question and waited for a reply, she tried not to let herself become too distracted by how that long, white appendage of Jack's glowed like buttery silver in the moonlight. She had never seen much in the way of Jack's exposed bones before. His arm was quite spooky and quite…well-built for a man with no flesh or muscles. She liked his arm very much, she decided.

(And Sally's own arm seemed to agree with her opinion about Jack's limb as it made a gulping motion go through its hand and then glanced away 'shyly' from the limb before raising a pinky to give it a coy little wave).

Jack just chuckled, his eye sockets shining with his confidence and enthusiasm for his plan as he continued to look into Sally's eyes. "Simple, Sally. We're _quite literally_ going to work together."

Jack then proceeded to explain the rest of the plan to her while Sally listened with interest and wonder (and eventually with a smile and a nod of full agreement).

* * *

"Oh!"

A certain golden robed, red-haired Valentine citizen with half-moon rose colored glasses landed squarely in a particularly brushy corner of the Halloween Town pumpkin patch. She sat there for a moment among the bright moonlight and sounds of eerie wind in the distance, her eyes wide as she tried to catch her breath.

"For the sweet love of Eros…" Madame Minister Marigold finally uttered, dusting herself off and blinking several times as she began to fully take in her new, strange surroundings. "How in the world do these holiday leaders actually _like_ a journey like that? I just jumped into a hollow tree, fell through a chasm of color, got surrounded by bats, and now I've been flung to the ground somewhere I have no business being. Personally, all I want to do is go home and pretend no one ever discovered the headache that those holiday forests have turned out to be, not go traipsing through here being dazzled by whatever fresh insanity I might come across in this place."

Marigold stood finally, removing some old vines from herself and adjusting her hair and glasses. "Madness. Flora and Santa and the other leaders think we need an Inter-Holiday council of some kind…" She scoffed, working her way through pumpkins to head over to a nearby path that looked like it might lead to town. "Well, I think all of the leaders' political assistants need _their own_ official meeting—a support group for everything we have to put up with, all of the worries these erratic leaders cause us, and the stress we have to go through every year making sure all of the holiday plans get organized and carried out behind the scenes." She sighed with a huff as she nearly tripped over a particularly large pumpkin. "I suppose I should be grateful though—Flora might put me through things like chasing after her and her chaotic matchmaking when our holiday's practically here, but I can't even imagine what the Magistrate or the Minister or the Mayor of this place must have had to go through with that Jack Skellington for the last two months with Christmas. Oh, the two of us should give the two of them such talkings to!" She nodded firmly to herself as she finally gained the road, raised her glasses up to see through the rose lenses, considered, and then picked a direction based on her quick observations and her feelings of love, and headed firmly down the path leading that way.

Marigold continued at a brisk walk in silence for several paces…but then her firm step eased just a little and the look on her features softened as well. She sighed into the night. "I know Flora means well…and I really hope she can fix things with Jack. I know it's important to her. She's a very loving person, even if she does get carried away with it sometimes." She looked up at the tall, bare trees and the bright moon overhead bathing the gothic landscape in glowing blues and silver. "Halloween Town is a strange place but beautiful too. Maybe it won't be so bad learning more about the other holidays first hand. And I suppose it might be good for the leaders too—it'll give them a break from focusing on their own holidays and help them from feeling like they're not in a rut." She smiled a little. "Hmm…in fact, maybe visits by the leaders to other holiday worlds should be encouraged. I wouldn't mind a week or so to myself back in Valentine Town sometimes to organize everything without having to mind the Heart Queen too."

Marigold then sighed again though, her look going a little dry. "But of course NOT a spontaneous, unplanned trip, and NOT one SIX WEEKS before our holiday! Honestly…" her pace quickened a little again. "Next year, Flora, if you want to add something new to our Valentine's Day experience, I have an idea—you and I change roles. _I'll_ be the center of attention and ride at the center of the parade and dance around shooting arrows, and _you_ can spend a month with a dull headache plotting out schedules and counting doilies and signing Valentine cards. Hmm," she crossed her arms over her chest and almost chuckled. "And frankly I think all of the holiday assistants should try that with their leaders. If we're going to start getting progressive and mixing things up with the holidays, let's go all the way!" With a very satisfied smile and nod to herself, Marigold went along on her way, her sense of the love that would attract Flora and her sense of the love that Flora always radiated leading her in the general direction of town.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! I hope you all liked this installment : ) In the next chapter, we see Jack's plan for saving Jewel…and it's going to result in some awkwardness (and a perfect opportunity to start making up) for Jack and Sally. The updates might be a little erratic from this point on with everything I've got going on with work and applying to schools, but I'll try to keep them as regular as possible. Thanks again for reading (and reviewing!) (and thank you **SimplyTruth**, I'm glad you're enjoying this fic as much as my HA! ones ^w^ ).

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	16. Mending a Bond

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Thank you for bearing with me regarding the frequency of story updates—my schedule is just packed right now unfortunately. But I appreciate you waiting and reading still : ) I hope you all enjoy this chapter!  
**  
Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 16:**

**Mending a Bond**

* * *

"Yes, I suppose that could work, Jack." Sally considered as she knelt upon the ground. The plan was simple, neat, made sense…. It would probably be a little awkward to execute, but overall it seemed like it would work, and considering their current circumstances it really was their best option for saving Jewel. Sally smiled at Jack and nodded. "Yes, okay, Jack. I think that's a very good idea, actually." Sally stood up from the ground (her unattached arm still in her hand), and Jack (his own detached limb still in his hand) stood as well.

Jack smiled. "Thank you, Sally. Let's tell, Jewel." They both headed over to the edge of the gorge. Jack knelt down. "My dear Miss Jewel? I'm sorry we've both kept you waiting so long."

Jewel looked up at Jack and Sally. "Oh, it's quite all right, thank you. I know I caused a bit of a bother with getting stuck down here. But I appreciate you trying to help me. I'd like to get out of here very soon. The Doctor must be terribly worried." Then with a frown she looked to Sally and added, "Sally, whenever you get home, I left you some dinner in the kitchen. I thought you might be hungry after everything you've been through. And I want you to keep up your strength."

Sally blinked. "Oh, well, um…" '_Someone…made dinner for me…in the Finkelstein house?' _"Oh that's…very kind of you, Jewel. Thank you," she called down appreciatively.

"You're welcome!" Jewel called back up with a smile.

Jack smiled more and cleared his throat to address Jewel again. "Jewel, Sally and I unfortunately don't have a rope to pull you up with, and neither one of us could reach down there alone, so…" He gestured for Sally to kneel down beside him, which she did, and the two of them held up their severed limbs, "We're going to attach our limbs together and use that to help you pull out of there." Jack beamed a little as he explained the idea further. "You see, my arm can't do much of anything once it's detached from me but Sally's arm can grip and do all sorts of things even when it's not attached to her. So she and I will lay down on the ground here side by side. Then with our attached arms we'll hold Sally's severed arm by the elbow hanging down toward you, and the hand of that arm will hold the shoulder of my detached arm. And then you should just be able to reach my arm's hand so we can pull you up. Does that sound all right to you?"

Jewel nodded. "Oh yes, it sounds very logical, Pumpkin King, and very sound, Sally. Thank you for devising such a clever plan all for me."

Jack grinned with a touch of that undeniable pride of his, and Sally beamed a little too

"Thank you, Jewel, and you're very welcome." Jack gave Jewel a small polite bow. Then he turned to Sally. "All right, Sally, let's get ready. Um…yes, let's just move very close." He moved his seated body a little closer to Sally's, and she did the same. "And, um…" Jack spoke to Sally's arm now, "Here's the end of my arm…" He put the shoulder joint in the doll arm's soft hand. Sally's arm gave a thumbs up and then got a good grip on Jack's shoulder. Jack let out a little sigh of concern and glanced down at Jewel again. "Jewel, I'm not sure how long my arm will be all right for pulling you up. I usually don't put much pressure on the bones when they're not attached to me. So just try to climb up it and get to Sally's arm as quickly as you can. And also only hold my arm at the parts around the elbow joint, never the joint itself—the lower section of my arm might come off then," he cautioned.

Jewel nodded up at him. "Yes, I'll keep all of that in mind. Thank you, Pumpkin King."

Jack smiled again. "Just call me Jack, Jewel, please." He looked at Sally once more. "Okay, let's both take hold of the end of your arm now." They both reached over with their attached limbs, Sally with her right arm, Jack with his left, and held tightly to the cloth arm's upper section.

Sally smiled reassuringly at Jack. "I think this will work out very well, Jack. And my arm won't let anything happen to your arm, I promise."

Jack smiled at her softly. "I know. And I won't let anything happen to Jewel or your arm. As soon as climbs up and reaches your arm, I'll let go and grab her around the waist and pull her up here with us. You just worry about getting our arms back up here. Okay, Sally?"

Sally nodded. "Okay, Jack." Then she moved back a bit from the edge of the gorge and started to lie herself down on her front side. "I'm ready, Jack." She tightened her hold and smiled up at him.

Jack moved back a little too. "I'm ready too, Sally." He lay down on his front side as well.

Their general physical position so far seemed to be good, but both Jack and Sally quickly realized that they needed to get as close as possible to really have the best hold on everything before they went and lowered the arms down to Jewel.

"Here, let's just, um…" Jack started as the two of them turned inward on their sides on the ground. Suddenly they found themselves slightly facing each other and only a few inches apart. Jack's breath caught, then he swallowed and glanced over at Sally, keeping his voice as normal as he could manage. "Do you feel comfortable?"

Sally (blushing a little) nodded. They were shoulder socket to shoulder socket, hip to hip, almost head to head, lying half on their sides so close together. "Oh, yes. And you, Jack?"

Jack nodded, grinning a little. "Yes. But I think I should just turn a little more, and… Ah, there we…go…" Their new shift had put Jack and Sally full on their sides and so close that Jack had the sudden compulsion to declare that he loved Sally madly, then roll atop her and kiss her in the undead grass until she swore she would never leave him and accepted he would never leave her. At the very least, he had the urge to observe closely the delicate lines of her collar and chest as she lie there with her patchwork dress twisting lightly around her body and her whole self pressed so close to him. '_Focus…. You'll tell her all these things later. Right now a life needs to be saved and you've got a town on the way out here to find you, and no one but you is going to be too happy if you end up rolling with a woman in the barren dirt on a whim. But then you can talk to her. I know you can. No more fighting it, it's only hurting you both._' "I think this should do it." Jack turned his eye sockets downward, trying to curb his gaze a little. He felt hot inside of his bones.

Sally wasn't fairing much better, to be honest.

Still a bit unhappy with him but forgiving him more by the minute and suddenly finding herself all but thrust side by side against him wasn't helping her maintain her perspective on their recent disagreement. She couldn't help but notice how well they seemed to fit together, how perfectly compatible their bodies were, and how much warmth they seemed to be able to create by being near one another even despite the fact that they were both cold and dead. Their fingertips touched as they held her arm, working together, and Sally could have easily rested her yarn-covered head against that smooth, creamy cranium of Jack's…with those big, dreamy eye sockets like pools of darkness and eternal morbid rest amidst this mad chaos in which they lived.

At the very least, Sally wished she could feel what her detached limb was feeling as it gripped the top of that bony arm of his. At the very most she wanted to take his skull in her hand and kiss him. If he really couldn't take initiative to increase the intimacy between them and commit to each other, then she certainly wasn't going to give up without a fight—she would take some initiative herself! If things still didn't end up working out, then she would do her best to accept that the most they really could be was dearest 'friends' and move on, but still first…she would try…try…try…try to make whatever love they might be able to have work. Sally felt a little shiver run through her body, down her attached arm, and down into her unattached arm.

"Sally, is your arm all right? I thought I felt it shake." Jack glanced at her.

Sally let out a sigh and shook her head. "It's all right, um…it's just getting used to this. Let's lower away…" She began to reach down as much as possible.

Jack reached down all the way too. "Okay." He swallowed and addressed Jewel. "Jewel, can you reach my hand?"

From down below in the gorge, Jewel reached up high but to no avail. "Oh, no I'm afraid not, but…hmm…" She paused, then went on. "I do think if I stack a small pile of the rocks on this ledge that I could reach you with ease. Just a moment please." Some light sounds of rock gently moving against rock could be heard coming up from the edge of the gorge now.

Meanwhile, Jack and Sally waited, filled with a touch of concern for Jewel (and still with a very large amount of active interest in each other.)

"She's very nice, Sally," Jack managed shyly, clearing his throat and looking to Sally's eyes now.

Sally nodded, swallowing but managing eye contact as well. "Yes, she is." She frowned a little. "I hope the Doctor treats her well."

Jack frowned too. "What do you mean?"

Sally blushed and looked down. "The Doctor's not the easiest man to live with…or the kindest master to serve."

Jack raised part of his brow. "Really?" He tried to catch her eyes again. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that."

"It's all right, Jack." Sally let out a small sigh and looked at him a little more again. "I haven't had the worst life. At least I _have_ life. The Doctor was gracious enough to give me that. If I want it to be a happy one, I just can't rely on him—I have to do my best to find my own happiness. That's all I've ever wanted anyway." A soft little smile came to her lips.

Jack just looked at her with such wonder. "I…I know how you feel. I've always wanted to just find my own happiness too." He gazed at her with a touch of happy longing he couldn't help. "I've been lonely…" left him softly, and he barely realized it. '_What would I do without you, Sally?'_

'_Oh, my dearest Jack…_' Sally's gaze softened, and a light, purplish blush came to her features. "I know how you feel too. I've been lonely too, Jack."

If only they weren't in the middle of doing something so important, if only they both weren't still so confused and even slightly mad at each other, if only their position wasn't so precarious…then in this moment maybe Jack and Sally could have broken past all of their anxieties and reservations and finally found a way into the closeness together that they had so craved.

But such was not the case, however, and so Jack and Sally just let out a soft sigh each and looked downward a little, though neither could help slight smiles lingering upon their lips.

Jack broke their moment to clear his throat and call down to Jewel. "Jewel, are you doing all right?"

"Oh yes, almost high enough!" she called up cheerfully. "Is there any way for you to lower the arm just a little bit more though?"

"We'll try!" Jack assured her. He glanced at Sally and she nodded in return, then the two of them came as close as possible, allowing their attached arms to reach down to their fullest extent.

"That's perfect! Thank you! It should just be another moment!" Jewel called back up to them.

Meanwhile, Jack and Sally just gazed into each other's eyes, unable to help doing so as the skeleton and rag doll now found themselves completely turned on their sides and with their bodies pressed flush together.

Needless to say, both of them looked and felt quite a bit flustered.

"I…never realized how much you can blush," Jack suddenly observed, unable to help really noticing now the way Sally could do that…and around him still. Could she still have such deep affections for him? What a nice assurance to receive. "With your blue skin it comes up purple in your cheeks." He smiled a little more.

Sally smiled (and blushed) a little more at the comment, unable to help herself. She replied in a soft mumble. "It's just, um…chlorophyll and color…from the autumn leaves inside of me. Just the pigment, I think…"

Jack laughed a little and nodded. "Well, blood or chlorophyll, if you're planning to be more sociable now that you'll be pursuing your happiness, you might want to keep the blushing under control or the vampire brothers will start trying to put the bite on you."

Sally actually laughed a little too. And she couldn't help adding, "Oh. Well, between that and everyone in Valentine Town flocking to me because I'm so passionate, I'll certainly be very popular, I guess. I'm shy though, of course, so I might have to find a whole new and different home for myself." She looked at him more. "What do you think of Christmas Town maybe? Dolls are part of Christmas, after all, right, Jack?"

A touch of awkwardness had come to Jack's features at the first part of her response but then he smiled a little again and nodded. "Oh, yes, quite. Rag dolls, especially." He swallowed. "None of them as pretty or as, um…commanding as you, but I think you would fit right in. Besides, if you lived there it would give me a perfect excuse to visit Christmas Town often. If I would be welcome by you for a lot of visits, of course…" His smile suddenly brimmed with something truly joyful. "Oh, I'd love to show you Christmas Town one day, Sally."

Sally's smile brimmed with some small joy in return. "Even though I'll probably stay here to live, I would go see Christmas Town with you one day, Jack, if we were invited…and if you really wanted to go with me."

"Oh I do…" Jack assured. "I'd go to any of the holiday worlds with you one day…even Valentine Town. If you forgave me that much, and only if you wanted to, I mean." A touch of hesitation came to his features.

Sally's smile went a little wobbly. She tried not to laugh as she whispered back to him, moving her head just close enough that the distance between their noses barely existed. "Do you just want to go with me if I go to Valentine's Town because of what your Queen friend said about the boys there liking me?" She giggled.

Jack's eye sockets went wide and he looked down shyly. He whispered back. "Well…she did make a valid point, after all."

Sally just giggled more. So cute when he was unsure of himself, when he tried to explore with her, to impress her even. "Silly skeleton man…" she whispered back playfully.

Jack's smile perked up. He glanced at her once more. "Sally…does this mean we're making up?"

Sally blinked and raised an eyebrow. Then her smile fell to something more serious. "I'd still like to have a talk about everything, Jack. We need to. I think we're both very confused…but I think we could understand each other again maybe." And then she just couldn't help herself anymore—she closed her eyes a little and nestled the top of her head against the side of his skull, savoring the closeness.

The first thing an elated jack did was take a deep inhale through his nose right near that hair. '_Oh, it smells like cloves and burning leaves…_' he thought to himself dreamily. "Oh, I'd like that too, Sally…to talk…and understand…a lot." He nuzzled against her head a little, his eye sockets closing. "I have so much to tell you. So very much."

"Me too…" Sally assured, practically over the moon and falling fast. "Oh dearest Jack…" left her in a quiet coo, "I—Oh!"

"Whoa!"

Suddenly both the rag doll and the skeleton's eyes popped open wide, and their focus was back on the present situation and specifically holding fast to their little arm rope.

Jewel had just gotten herself elevated enough to reach Jack's bony, detached hand, and now suddenly she was holding on tight. "Jack? Sally? Are you ready? I'm going to climb up now!" she called up to them.

Jack and Sally put aside their fluster and nodded, trying to catch their shallow breaths.

"Yes, Jewel!" Sally assured.

"Yes, Jewel, we're ready!" Jack added.

"Okay. Here I go!" she called back.

Jack and Sally had to dig in very tightly against the ground as Jewel started climbing, and Sally could feel her detached arm struggling to hold Jack's arm and the weight of Jewel.

"Are you doing okay, Sally?" Jack asked, eye sockets narrowed and focused down on the task at hand.

"Yes," Sally assured, likewise looking focused. "Just not for too much longer."

Jack nodded. "When I tell you, just yank the arms up with all you have, Sally, okay?"

"Okay, Jack." She nodded.

"I'm almost to Sally's arm!" Jewel announced.

"Just tell us when you can reach her elbow!" Jack called down.

"I'm there!"

"Now, Sally!" Then Jack leaned half down over the gorge, caught up Jewel around the waist and pulled her up as Sally gave a final yank to pull the arms up with them!

Jack ended up on the ground on his side, Jewel ended up sitting up on the grass a small distance from him, and Sally ended up near Jewel and clutching two arms in her one-armed grasp, one of them her familiar blue cloth appendage and the other…

She kept her attached hand from doing too much unnecessary touching but couldn't help her gaze at least roving over Jack's detached arm, taking in all the bony detail with interest (while her detached arm took Jack's hand, lacing fingers with it, and Sally giggled.)

"Is everyone all right?" Jack stood up, rubbing the side of his head with his one hand and looking between the two ladies.

Sally instantly took her attention away from the arms and stood up and walked over to Jack. "Yes, I'm all right, Jack. And so are our arms. Um…here you go." She managed to loosen the fingers of their limbs to hand him the bony one.

Jack took the arm from her and nodded, smiling softly. "Thank you, Sally."

Sally nodded and smiled back at him softly in return. She knew in that moment once more in her life that she could never not love him—she would always care for him a little at least, even if they didn't end up together, and she would always melt inside whenever he showed affection for her or they worked together or they were close.

"Oh…Oh dear."

Jewel's words made Jack and Sally blink and look to the young creation.

Poor Jewel was sitting upon the ground holding one of her arms where a tear appeared to have formed in a seam of her limb. She was trying to stuff her own filling back in but the hole was quite apparent. She sighed softly. "I broke myself." She looked over at the two of them. "I'm sorry to be a bother. The Doctor really was right…I'm not ready for so much excitement."

Jack looked a touch confused at the comment but Sally immediately walked over to Jewel and knelt down beside her. She put a hand on her shoulder. "Oh yes you are, Jewel. Don't listen to the Doctor, he just gets very overprotective. You absolutely can handle excitement. Everybody makes mistakes and even gets hurt sometimes. It's not a bad thing. And it was very brave what you did, coming to look for Jack and me at the scariest place in town. Besides, you'll see soon that everyone here falls apart in some way or another. The slime man drips everywhere, the Behemoth has an ax that comes in and out of his head, the clown's face tears away, and I come unstitched too," she held up her detached arm, which waved at Jewel, "and Jack's bones can come off."

Sally glanced back at Jack who just continued to watch their conversation with interest at first, but then he blinked and added, "Oh, um…yes!" He held up his detached arm.

Sally nodded and turned back to Jewel. "And even the Doctor can open his cranium and scratch his brain. So you're not so different from everybody else." She smiled more and looked down at the split seam. "And that's not so bad. You can sew it up in now time." She looked up at Jewel encouragingly.

Jewel had seemed quite interested in her words. But as Sally finished, she raised an eyebrow. "Oh, but…I can't sew, Sally. Not at all." She explained. "The Doctor says he kept the half of our brain that knew how to sew so the he could keep me in repairs and create other experiments too. He said it might be very difficult for me to learn how to sew because of that, so I should just do my best to be safe and always come back to him if I ever got hurt. He said he would take care of me."

Sally sighed. On the one hand she could have easily gone off on a total tirade against the Doctor and his controlling ways right now. But she resisted. No need to sour Jewel on him entirely, and Jewel didn't seem to have many complaints about him. Besides, he wasn't all bad: selfish, controlling, arrogant, and insensitive, maybe, but not bad. He meant well in his own odd way. So Sally just smiled. "Oh Jewel, don't be silly. I'll help you understand how to sew. It must be in your head somewhere even if the Doctor got the half of the brain with the easiest access to it. Look…" She took out a needle from her hair and some thread from her pocket. "You watch me sew myself back together, and then we'll work on you, all right?"

Jewel nodded, smiling happily. "Oh that sounds like a very efficient idea. Thank you, Sally." She laughed a little. "I don't know what the Doctor was thinking. You're not restless or easily distracted at all. You're very clever and nice and smart. I like you very much. Things will be very good when you come back to live with us."

Sally paused in her threading of the needle. Her smile faded for a moment. "Jewel…I can't come back and live with you. I don't belong with the doctor. I'm not happy with the doctor. I'll visit you, if you'd like, but I have to live for myself now." She finished her threading.

Jewel was quiet at first. "Oh…" _'Happy?_' "Does that mean…if I was unhappy, I would have to leave the Doctor too? Or that if the Doctor was unhappy, he would leave me?"

Sally looked up at her and blinked. "I…well…if you were unhappy, you'd want to leave him anyway. But if you want to stay with him, that probably means that you're happy there. And the Doctor would never leave you, Jewel. He made you because he wanted you. And he's very proud of you and likes you." She smiled softly, bringing her severed limb up against the base of her upper arm on her body to begin sewing. "Trust me, I know."

"How?" asked Jewel very curiously, leaning in closer, looking down at Sally's arm as the rag doll pushed and pulled the needle and thread through her cloth flesh so fluently.

"Because I watched him make you," Sally explained. "And because when he did make you, he would talk to you all about how much he was looking forward to meeting you. And when he gave you half his brain he even kissed it because he likes you so much." She smiled more as her deft fingers approached the final stitches. "And doesn't he call you precious? He never called me anything like that, not even once. He must like you very much, Jewel. And besides…" Sally added with a touch of a far away look, "I've had a good feeling about his creation after me from the start—that bringing you into the world would help make things right for him. And I think it's starting to."

Jewel just sat there, her small eyes wide. "O-Oh…I see. How interesting…." Oh that feeling, that feeling that wanted to burst forth from her but never seemed there enough to be able to come all the way. The doctor had kissed her half of their brain… '_I'll never wash my brain again…_' "I like him too…very much…so much…" She sighed deeply and softly (and wistfully).

For a moment Sally paused in her stitching, wide-eyed, unmoving.

Sally knew that sigh.

Sally had made that sigh more times than she could count in her life, usually while gazing out of her bedroom window over toward Jack's looming tower with the windows glowing mysteriously and housing her beloved within.

She looked to Jewel and considered saying something.

"Whoa!" The sound of Jack calling out and then falling, however, broke her attention for the moment.

Sally raised an eyebrow and looked to him over her shoulder. "Jack, what's wrong?"

Detached arm still in hand, Jack sat up from the ground several feet away and turned to her, raising an eyebrow of his own. "Trying to reattach an arm to a collar bone while wearing a dress shirt and a jacket is not easy, it seems." He smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "I've never done anything like this before, taking off such large parts of myself and putting them back on. No wonder you like wearing dresses best, Sally—they must be easiest for sewing yourself up and putting yourself back together again." He sighed as he stood up and dusted himself off. "I'm sorry, ladies. Ignore me." He gave a small bow. "Just go back to fixing yourselves up, please. I think I know how to take care of this now." He then moved himself off several feet farther away from Jewel and Sally.

Sally just watched him go and tried not to giggle too much.

"The Pumpkin King is a very nice man. I like him. Do you like him too, Sally?" Jewel asked with interest.

Sally turned back to her and nodded. "Yes. I like him very, very much…" She lowered her voice and added, picking up her needle and thread again to finish the seam on her arm, "I'm happy with him."

"Will he let you live with him, then, as his 'precious' since you don't want to live with the Doctor anymore?" Jewel tilted her head to the side and smiled a little.

Sally smiled more and shrugged. "Oh…something like that."

Jewel smiled more. "Maybe once we're all together with the people we're supposed to be with, you and Jack and the Doctor and I could have dinner together one night? I'd like for all of us to be together. But before that maybe you could visit and help me with teaching the Doctor how to use utensils?" She pouted a little. "Igor's doing all right, but the Doctor is so set in his ways. I don't know how you managed."

Sally giggled. "Oh, he's stubborn, but you just keep asking very nicely and he might actually do it. Come to think of it, asking nicely over and over was the only approach I never tried." She shrugged. "I supposed I was never very focused on my domestic duties."

"Oh, I'm sure you were a wonderful helper," Jewel assured. "I like you and it's helpful that I get to know you, after all."

Sally smiled more. "I like you very much too, Jewel. I hope we can be very good friends." She tied off her final stich and flexed her arm. "There, see, very easy and good as new. Now, as for your seam, since sewing one handed takes some practice and since we don't have a lot of time right now, I'll stitch it for you very slowly and you just watch me closely. Then maybe someday soon we can have a proper lesson, okay?"

Jewel nodded. "All right, Sally. And you were right—sewing doesn't look so very hard."

"I'm glad." Sally threaded the needle again (this time with a spool of white thread from her pocket) and started to tie the thread into Jewel's skin. "Hmm…" She observed her fellow creation closely. "The Doctor didn't use cloth like mine. Is this skin of some sort?"

"Spider silk and resin and plant fibers. The doctor thought it might be more durable," Jewel explained. "That's also why he stuffed me with cotton and burlap. He said he wanted me to have as little chance as possible of getting hurt."

Sally had to smile. "See, I told you he liked you." She got to work on the stitching, going carefully.

Jewel looked on, but then a movement far behind Sally caught her eye and she glanced up over the rag doll's shoulder to observe the source. "Jack's quite fortunate. He doesn't have any stitching to worry about at all."

"Hmm? Oh, yes, Jack just has…" Sally picked her head up to answer her but then turned around as she noticed the direction of Jewel's gaze, "…bones…" Sally finished softly, her eyes going wide.

Apparently, trying to slip a thin, lanky, three-foot length of bone in the shape of an arm up into three feet of dress shirt surrounded by three feet of pinstripe jacket really was quite a tedious and impossible task. So right now Jack was far off to the side, facing slightly away from the ladies, and completely oblivious to any watching that might be going on: he had his jacket off, his tie undone, and he had managed to undo the buttons of his shirt enough to remove half of the garment, exposing his currently empty shoulder socket.

In short, Jack had his back to Sally as he tried to put himself back together, and Sally could see most of his bare collar and half of his ribs as he proceeded to reattach his arm.

Sally had entirely stopped stitching Jewel's seam at this point, and was just sitting there biting her lower lip as that purple blushing color grew in her cheeks while she watched the scene most intently.

"Sally? Are you all right? Should I ask Jack to come help?" came Jewel's soft voice to her ears after a moment.

"No!" Sally squeaked, instantly turning back around and hastily trying to start stitching her friend again. She swallowed, smiling a little funny. "Um…no, that's fine. He's pretty…I-I mean, he's busy! I mean, he's _pretty_ busy so, um…I'm fine, and I'll just finish up now." She blushed more and more, doing her best to steady her hands and to relax again a little. '_It's normal, you're in love with him—it's perfectly normal to like him that way…but stop acting silly about it._' She sighed. '_Still mad at him, you're still a little mad at him. He lied to you and talked about you with another woman and took potions to live with you. He does not get to get away with that just because you happen to like bones.' _She felt better now, though her blushing (and a dreamy little smile) still persisted. "And…there!" Sally finished the last stitch and pulled off the thread, leaving Jewel's arm in tact again. Sally looked up at Jewel. "See, sewing's not so bad—you just go in and out, over and over, and then make a knot at the end and cut the thread. You can practice on your legs very easily, Jewel. Here…" Sally reached to the other side of her head and pulled out a spare needle. "Here's a needle for you." She slipped it into Jewel's hat. "And I'll give you this spool of thread. I don't use the white much since I don't like how it goes with my cloth, but that color matches your skin very nicely." She handed the spool of white thread to Jewel.

Jewel took the item like it was quite precious to her, touched the place where the needle was in her hat, and then tucked the thread safely in her dress pocket. "Thank you, Sally. I'll practice, I promise."

"All ready to head back to town ladies?" Jack suddenly asked, coming up to them with a grin. His coat and jacket were back on, his arm was clearly in place once more, and he was just pulling tight his bat bowtie, though the bat in it wasn't as neat as could be.

Jewel nodded, standing up. "Oh, yes, and thank you again, Jack. You're a very kind and helpful Pumpkin King." She gave a little grateful bow.

Sally slipped her needle back into her hair and stood as well. "Yes, we're all stitched up and ready to go, Jack. And I'm glad to see you're back together too." She took a step closer to him, and her fingers came up to gently pull and tuck his tie until it was in its usual perfect bat shape. She whispered as she finished. "There, we go…" Before he could respond (and all he could do was seem confused for a moment and then blink and look a little funny), Sally smiled and turned back to Jewel. "Come on, Jewel, let's all go back to town together and sort everything out. And you just remember, if you ever do feel unhappy with the Doctor, you don't have to stay at the manor. You can come stay with me wherever I am. I wouldn't mind the company."

Jewel looked up from examining the new stitch in her arm with a mixture of wonder and scientific curiosity. "Oh, that's kind of you, Sally. But it's okay…" she smiled and shrugged, "I like being with the Doctor…and it's nice to know he must like me so much."

Sally nodded and laughed warmly, and the two ladies proceeded to stroll forward.

Jack, meanwhile, remained still for a moment, trying not to feel too embarrassed about the tie thing and whether or not it meant 'someone' had peeked at him when he had been…

Jack blinked, put the thought out of his mind, and then dashed up to get alongside Sally as the small group walked in the direction of town. "I think we should go directly to the Town Hall," Jack advised, putting his arms behind his back. "We'll be most likely to find everyone there. And then we can return you to the Doctor, Jewel, and I can try to explain some of my behavior lately to everyone, and we can let them all see that Sally is safe and sound." He let out a sigh, looking down and thinking to himself, a hand on his chin. "The most important thing is to quash any suggestion that somehow Oogie Boogie is involved in any way in our absences. There have been too many changes lately, I can't let there be a panic. Sing a song, give assurances, apologize…" he mumbled to himself. Then he glanced at Sally. "Sally, I'm sorry, I won't be able to be at the house much for at least a few days—after everything everyone's been through lately, I just have to make myself be out and about among the citizens, reassuring them and helping everything here return to normal. I'm sorry…" He frowned. "I know you don't like it when I'm gone." He looked down and added, "Of course, um…that won't matter much I guess if you choose to leave, but…for what it's worth, I promise I'm not being selfish this time with needing to be away from the house. I just have to be king for everyone and start paying the proper attention to the citizens again. They need me, and I don't want to let them down anymore."

Sally's hand suddenly slipped into Jack's, their fingers entwining.

Jack's eye sockets went wide, and he glanced over to Sally with an eyebrow slightly raised.

Sally smiled warmly at him. "Yes, they do need you, Jack. You're a good King. So you do whatever you need to do to be a good king. And I'll be waiting for you, no matter where I am." She squeezed his hand. "But thank you for telling me about your plans. I appreciate that very much. It's just nice to be included in your ideas and the things that are important to you." And then she leaned in and kissed his cheek before turning away shyly to look forward once more as they strolled.

Jack smiled considerably, looking forward as well. "Oh, well…you're welcome, Sally." He squeezed her hand in return. He swallowed, swinging their hands a little absentmindedly. Then he kissed her cheek in return before looking forward with a grin again.

Sally beamed.

Jewel (at this point) just observed them with quiet interest. And she daydreamed about holding the Doctor's hand as they walked and having him give her brain or cheek or any other part of her a little kiss. Being around Jack and Sally was sort of starting to make her have lots of thoughts like these.

For a few moments the threesome just walked through the hinterlands in peace as they made their way toward town. Everything was so calm in the hinterlands. Rarely did a soul venture out here, after all.

Yet, Sally suddenly stopped walking as a bad feeling washed over her…and a faint sound in the distance like laughter met her ears.

"Sally…" Jack had stopped when she had stopped, and now he looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "What is it?"

Jewel paused as well, glancing to her friend. "Sally?"

Sally bit her lip and looked down. "I have a bad feeling…" She glanced out over the landscape, mostly bare of course in the moonlight save for the looming spiral hill far off near the graveyard on the outskirts of town,

But no, wait, among the greyness and somber tones were three little bits of somberness scurrying…right by an old large tree not too far away.

Jack saw the movement, and he also knew what that tree was…and how it held a tree house for a certain three little citizens (and with a connection to a certain former bug and burlap sack monster foe). Perhaps the little trick-or-treater trio was just out here slacking off from the search for Jack and Sally. And yet hadn't he noticed some activity out there a couple of days ago on one of his walks away from the house? And if Sally had a bad feeling…

"A bad…feeling?" Jack blinked and glanced at Sally again. "What do you mean, Sally?"

Sally blinked, coming out of her slight trance of staring at the tree, and glanced to the side and shrugged. "I get feelings about things sometimes. You should have seen the bad feeling I got about Christmas…. It was a doozy." She sighed. "And I'm having another bad feeling right now." Her eyes went out to the tree again (which the three trick-or-treaters clearly must have climbed up into now).

Jack considered. Then he released his hand from Sally's and stepped away from the two women. "Sally, Jewel," he smiled, "You both head back into town. I'll check on Lock, Shock and Barrel." He shrugged, trying to seem casual. "They're probably just playing or something, but I'd like for them to be at the town meeting anyway, so I'll fetch them and join you soon."

Jewel nodded. "That seems sensible, Jack."

Sally did not nod. "I'll go with you, Jack."

Jack shook his head. "No, Sally, I'll go by myself. Really, I insist."

Sally shook her head right back. "And I insist on going, Jack. And if you don't let me go with you right now, I'll just sneak back around and join you anyway."

Jack blinked and pouted. "Sally, it's safest in town. You're not…"

"…Not ready for so much excitement?" Sally couldn't help but supply in a dull voice with a somewhat dark look on her features.

Jack almost looked a touch nervous at such a reply. He wasn't sure what to say.

"But, Sally…" Jewel offered shyly, "That's what the Doctor said he would always say about you? But you definitely seem to be okay with excitement. Much more than I am, at least."

Sally let out a small sigh and smiled again. "Thank you, Jewel. You're very kind and supportive and understanding." She was very certain to deliberately deliver these compliments to Jewel and not at all to Jack. "Jewel, do you know your way back to town from here?"

Jewel nodded. "Oh yes, the Doctor made sure I had a full working knowledge of the town and surrounding areas so that I could take him anywhere he needed to go."

Sally smiled more. "Good. Would you mind going back to town and letting everyone know that you're safe and that I'm safe and Jack's safe, and that Jack and I might be back a little later than we told Zero but still very soon?" She frowned a little. "I'm sorry to send you back alone. But…" she blinked, "Oh I know!" Then Sally gave a whistle and called out, "Zero!"

It took a few seconds, but then a howl sounded in the night, and soon enough a familiar glowing pumpkin nose was racing toward them through the air. When the ghost dog who owned that distinct nose arrived, Zero swirled around Jack once with a smile and then gave Sally a lot of kisses.

Sally giggled and patted his head. "Thank you for coming, Zero. This is Jewel." She gestured to Jewel who smiled and waved at the little dog. "She needs an escort back to town. Can you help?"

Zero nodded and flew around Jewel once and then nestled by her side with a big smile.

Sally looked to Jewel (who was currently patting the ghost dog with a touch of amazement in her features). "Zero is Jack's dog, Jewel. He'll escort you back to town." And then Sally came forward and gave Jewel a big hug before pulling back happily. "I'm very happy we finally got to meet, Jewel."

Jewel looked quite happy too. "I think it's good that I got to meet you to, Sally. And it was very nice to meet you too, King Jack. And thank you both for introducing me to another new friend." She glanced at the little dog. "It's nice to meet you, Zero. I like your nose."

Zero's nose glowed extra brightly, and he glanced to the side with playful shyness.

Jewel just laughed and turned to start walking back toward town. "Come on, let's go, Zero."

"Arf!" Zero replied with a nod.

"Zero, before you go…" Jack stepped forward, a touch of concern in his features as Zero looked back at him, awaiting instructions. "Please tell the mayor to get together a town meeting together himself if he wouldn't mind since Sally and I are still busy at the moment. I have some things I'd like to discuss with everyone as soon as we get back. All right?"

Zero nodded affirmatively. "Arf!"

Jack smiled. "Thank you, boy. Sally and I will be along shortly. And thank you for escorting Jewel back to town."

Zero nodded again and then turned toward town, flying alongside Jewel as she walked and waved over her shoulder at Jack and Sally. "Bye, Jack and Sally! See you soon!" Then she looked forward, and the pair went along on their way.

Once they were out of earshot, Sally let out a sigh, her smile falling a little. "Come on, Jack," she started heading in the direction of the tree, "Let's go see what those three are up to."

Jack looked after her with an eyebrow raised and then started following her. "Um…did I do something wrong again?" he asked hesitantly.

Sally just sighed again. She knew he was trying, and that he didn't mean to be insensitive and that he didn't mean to upset her. "Jack," she began to explain as patiently as she could manage, "I appreciate that you're concerned for my safety, but I don't want anybody protecting me or sheltering me. That's been my whole life, and I've hated it. A lot." She glanced at him. "I know I'm young and that I'm not scary and that I can be clumsy and seem small and soft, but I can handle a lot and I don't like being left all alone while everyone else takes care of everything. I won't live like that, Jack." She looked into his eyes, then couldn't help frowning a little and adding, "You know, it's not like all I did during the Christmas thing was sew your suit and then wait on the hill for you to find me. I tried to warn you, I tried to stop you…"

Her companion smiled and nodded. "Yes, you did."

"…I went to save Santa and helped keep him alive long enough for you to get there."

"Very true."

"…And I had to…endure a lot from Oogie Boogie. I'm not very strong but I always do my best. And I don't let anything scare me away if it means I can help people, and especially people I care about."

"I know." Jack came closer to Sally, his smile warm and his tone full of sincerity and truth. "And I'm sorry. And if I had to pick anybody to have by my side, in good or bad times, it has to be you. I would never trust anybody else the way I trust you." He took her hand again.

As they walked on, Sally just looked at him with confusion but wonder. Then she smiled a little. "Thank you, Jack…" Another moment passed and she squeezed his hand.

Jack smiled considerably.

They walked in quiet together for another few moments, though now with more intimacy about them.

"So…" Jack then started, raising an eyebrow and his smile picking up a little more, "you get feelings about things?"

Sally blinked and nodded to him. "Yes. I can't help it. The Doctor said he made me extra intuitive so that I would be able to anticipate his needs." She smiled a little more. "Mostly though it just helped me know when he was coming along so I could hide from him whenever I snuck out of the house."

Jack laughed a little.

"The feeling I have now isn't too strong yet. It's more like just a suspicion instead of a full premonition of something bad." Sally looked to the tree once more and then back to Jack. "Do you think the three of them really could be up to anything dangerous?"

Jack considered. "I think it may be something rather annoying and maybe even a little underhanded. But I'm not sure of how much danger they'd be capable of at the moment. But it doesn't hurt to check. And they really shouldn't be out here right now either way."

Sally nodded in agreement. "That feels right to me."

Jack nodded as well, glancing back to her again, his smile growing warm. "Me too."

Sally looked to him in return. Her smile picked up on one side, and a touch of something playful came to her voice. "But maybe we shouldn't walk up to them holding hands. They might get a bit suspicious of your intentions with me."

Jack blinked and blanched a bit, and quickly released his hand from hers. "O-Oh, yes, right, heh…" He rubbed the side of his arm. "Not that I'm embarrassed, it's just…they usually require fear to be obedient, and I don't think me seeming like I'm on a date would be very scary."

Sally did her best not to giggle. "No, I guess not. But hopefully they won't need too much scaring anyway. I don't think they're entirely horrible children. They were nice to bring the mayor too help us escape from Oogie's lair on Christmas Eve. Don't forget that."

"If anything, that's evidence _against_ their favor," Jack replied with a touch of dryness. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sally look at him quizzically, and he smiled a little and explained his comment. "It's not that I didn't appreciate a way out of there and a ride home…but I could have done without the public interruption and the shining spotlight interrupting you and me right when we were about to really talk for the first time." He swallowed and added softly, "It ended up taking me almost an hour extra time after that to fully realize how much I cared about you. Maybe a villain's glowing hideout wouldn't have been the ideal place for a first kiss, but still…I didn't appreciate the delay." His gaze went forward.

Sally swallowed and was quiet for a moment. Then her gaze went forward as well. "You know, we haven't kissed like how we kissed on that hill once since that night. I'm not even sure if we've really kissed on the lips at all since that night actually."

"I know." Jack blanched and looked down in a mix of contemplation and embarrassment. "Believe me, I know." He glanced over to her, and for the first time Sally truly noticed how lily white he could get around her. He went on. "I'll explain it to you later, Sally. I promise. I made some mistakes about us, but I understand that now. And I want…to…with you…kiss like how we kissed on that hill." He glanced down shyly. "I want to be close to you like that more than anything."

Sally looked down very shyly and nodded. Then she smiled in a special way and glanced at him. "Well, then…let's take care of Lock, Shock and Barrel and the town meeting and our talk about things as quickly as possible then…" she supplied softly with a small smile upon her lips, "…And we'll see what happens." She swayed to give him the smallest playful nudge and then trotted sprightly off ahead.

Jack just paused and then raised an eyebrow, looking distinctly intrigued, before quickly following along after her…a special (and rather hopeful) smile coming to his lips as well.

They were before the large tree soon enough, and Jack and Sally prepared to investigate.

* * *

Meanwhile, up in the tree house, three trick-or-treaters had been taking a moment to rest and regroup after a very exhaustive search of the Halloween Town area for a certain ragdoll seamstress.

Shock sighed deeply, lying on the floor not far from the cages of bugs piled up against one of the walls. "What did Sally do, go off to another holiday world like Jack did?"

Lock, leaning against his pitchfork to rest, rolled his eyes. "Well, if she did, we're not doing a search of the rest of the holidays to find her. I'm drawing a line. Barrel, you with me?"

Lock's question was only met with a loud snore from Barrel who was suddenly passed out asleep on top of the bug cages.

The devil trick-or-treater just rolled his eyes.

Shock sighed and sat up with a scowl. "Look, there's no way she would go to another world after all that dangerous craziness that happened with Jack going to another world. She's around here, we're just not looking hard enough."

Lock scowled back at her. "Fine, we'll look harder next time. But right now, I—" He paused and blinked…then put a hand to his ear. "Did you hear something?"

Shock blinked and then took off her witch's hat to put the tip to her ear as well.

A large snore suddenly escaped from Barrel.

Lock scowled and poked Barrel with his pitchfork.

"Ah!" Barrel gasped and sat up. "What? What, I'm up! What happened?"

"Shut up, you ninny!" Shock hissed, then she went back to listening…

…Only now a person didn't need to listen closely—now the sound was nearby and distinct, like a pair of feet lightly walking through the dead leaves and gnarled roots that made up the lawn around the tree house. Somebody was outside.

Shock stealthily crept over to the window and raised her head just enough to peek out.

The partial view she saw was of Sally, wandering around near the base of the tree, looking confused and unsure.

Shock grinned ear to ear. She kept her voice low. "Oh boys?" Lock and Barrel raised an eyebrow each and slowly approached. Shock went on. "I don't think we need to search anymore. Our victim came to us instead…"

The two boys, barley peeking above the windowsill, saw the sight Shock saw and grinned as well. The group broke into some low cackles and then separated and quickly prepared for how best to catch innocent, wandering, (seemingly) alone Sally for their diabolical plan.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! I hope you guys liked the chapter. In the next chapter, the kids finally get a hold of Sally and reveal their diabolical little plan…and we see some rare angry Jack lol. And Jack and Sally continue to make up in their own small yet meaningful ways. I hope you all enjoy it!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	17. Sally Nabbed!

**A/N:**

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter! Thank you all so much for being patient with my about update delays—my life is insanity right now, lol. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and thank you all for your reviews and your encouragement about this story : )

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 17:**

**Sally Nabbed!**

* * *

"Jack…" Sally began with an eyebrow raised, a thought occurring to her as they got closer to the old tree and snuck around the base to examine the area, "Do you think it was all right that we kissed each other on the cheek in front of Jewel before?"

Jack glanced back at Sally and raised an eyebrow as well. "Why wouldn't it be? I mean, unless it embarrassed you or anything." He frowned. "I'm sorry if it did."

Sally shook her head though and smiled a little. "No, no, of course not. It's just…we've never been affectionate before in front of another person. You said on Christmas that you didn't want to share our relationship with the citizens just yet. And Jewel's a little naive still but she must think there's something between us, and that could spread to the town quickly enough." Sally blushed a bit and looked down, holding her arms behind her back. "Believe me, when you're 'born' fully grown it takes a while to get used to figuring out what it's okay to tell other people and what you should maybe keep to yourself so that you don't confuse things or embarrass anyone."

"Oh…I see," Jack replied softly, pausing by the back of the tree. He looked down in a touch of distress and shuffled his feet. "I'm sorry, Sally, I didn't think of that." He glanced back up at her. "If you're concerned that people will think there's a romantic attachment between us when you'd prefer that we no longer…had something like that between us… " A wince of pain went through his features that he did his best to hide. "I-I mean, if you feel now that it would be best for us not to try to be together in any official way considering all of the problems lately and how much talking we need to do, then—"

"No!" Sally almost yelled with wide eyes, though she quickly closed up her mouth and lowered her voice again (who knew if the trick-or-treaters were nearby after all, and what they might be up to). "That's not what I meant. I just didn't want you to be embarrassed by everyone starting to say things to you about us. Really…" She looked down, wringing her hands together lightly in front of herself. "I might get mad or sad sometimes, but I'll always want to be together, Jack. Forever." Her smile returned.

The two of them were very quiet for a moment.

Then "Oh!" Sally squeaked and looked up at the feeling of suddenly being tackled in a very tight, bony hug.

Jack just held her closely and grinned so very widely. "I-I see." He almost laughed a little, he seemed so happy. "Well, then, just so you know…" he put his hands on her shoulders and pulled back to look at her with a big smile and his eye sockets all but twinkling, "I couldn't care in the least anymore what anybody says or does about me having a dearest more than friend. I just want to be together with you too, Sally. That's most important to me now—more important than Christmas, more important than anybody's approval, more important than my own silly selfish whims and problems. You are most special to me, my dearest dolly. And I'd sing about it to the whole world if I could just find some time to myself to work out a tune and lyrics."

Sally grinned and sighed softly, practically feeling herself go weak in the knees though she tried to hide it. "Oh dearest Jack, you don't have to sing about…me." She loved that man's voice. What he could do to her with a few dulcet tones cooed in the cool air of an autumn night about any old thing was half the reason she'd managed to get by all these years without having her affections requited. But to have him sing to her and about her…just like their little exchange on Spiral Hill on Christmas Eve but a whole song? Sally couldn't promise herself she wouldn't just jump into his arms and ask him to carry her off to a romantic whirlwind life together much as he had offered mere hours ago during his final sleepwalking escapade.

All right, maybe Sally had a little more control than that and clearly wouldn't have actually gone through with running off with him, but still she could fantasize about it a little in this case.

"Hmm…" Jack just chuckled in response to her shyness, his voice going a little lower in tone, "No, no, I think I just might have to sing about you…and quite soon if I'm not mistaken." He sighed dreamily, gazing into her eyes. "You're quite the preoccupation of mine, Sally. And I have to express myself somehow."

Sally just giggled and finally bit her lip and gave a small nod, moving some hair behind one of her ears. "Okay. If you'd like, Jack."

"You have my word, Sally." Jack stepped back, took her hand and gave a small bow. "But let's sort this whole little tree house business out first and see what Lock, Shock, and Barrel might be hiding." He straightened up and proceeded to lead her the rest of the way to the back of the tree, and then stopped and blinked at a sight before the both of them—a large, long, wide, strangely crafted metal tube leading from the back of the tree house around its base and then into the side of the ledge on which the tree house was perched. And the tube seemed to head off in the direction of the gorge…

Jack frowned and let Sally's hand go, approaching the odd structure with one hand on his hip and the other scratching his head. "Oh for Halloween's Sake, I thought I had those children tear down this pipe line. And I _know_ I made a rule against rebuilding it. There was definitely some sort of official document stamped and signed." Jack walked around the pipe, poking it and shaking his head with a slight scowl as he mumbled to himself. "Ridiculous design. Like a shortcut to destruction…. And do I even want to know what they've been shoving down there?" He rolled his eyes, continuing to examine the piping. "I really, really don't like the looks of this…"

Sally, meanwhile, just watched him observing the strange tube and then figured she ought to do some observing herself. She went more towards the front of the tree (where they had seen Lock, Shock, and Barrel scurrying) and looked around. There was really nothing much to see though—just the small wooden plank bridge leading across the little gap between where the road on the other side ended and the base of the tree house began. '_A way to enter must come down from the top of the tree somehow…'_ she surmised to herself. Sally continued examining, wandering closer to the front of the tree. Honestly, she was happier over here rather than looking where Jack was looking—she suspected that metal tube led right down to Oogie's lair, and she had no desire to think about that place or about Oogie himself right now in any way. The memories of being down there herself were too fresh, and they made her uneasy.

It was when Sally got directly underneath the door in the base of the tree house overhead that the trick-or-treaters' trap snapped—a net secretly laid upon the ground and covered over with leaves suddenly pulled tight around Sally, scooping her up and lifting her high into the air and finally up through the floor of the tree house, which quickly shut behind her. Barely a squeak had managed to escape her, the process had been so quick and neat.

* * *

"Hmm…" Jack, meanwhile, was still on the other side of the tree eyeing the pipeline with disapproval. "After I have the gorge filled in, this will be removed…and it will not be coming back. Not ever." Jack scowled in frustration. But then he sighed and looked away, mumbling to himself again. "Making an awful lot of command decisions lately, aren't we, Jack? First you force everyone to do Christmas…" Though she had made the comment in anger, he couldn't help but feel that Sally's point earlier about him forcing Christmas on everyone was valid. "And speaking of Sally, you then went and decided how to handle your relationship together without even just having the courage to talk to her about it first and work things out as a couple. And then of course there was Oogie…" Jack glanced out in the direction of the gorge and sighed.

Jack was quiet for a moment, and soon found himself lost in some thoughts. '_You defended Sally and Santa by ending the existence of one of your citizens, Jack Skellington._' Fine, there had been holidays to save, there had been people to save, fine Oogie would not have stopped his destructive ways. But had any of that really been an excuse for… '_Am I abusing my power?'_ Jack frowned distinctly at the notion. _'Could I have really grown that complacent? It would explain my boredom. It would explain part of why I'm so attracted to my darling Sally_.' Sally resisted Jack, after all—about Christmas, about his whims, and now about their relationship. She took away that feeling that he controlled everything and therefore there were no more challenges in life. Jack smiled to himself a little. '_If I can just be as good for her as she is for me, I think I could actually be happy again. And maybe somehow by finding peace in my life with her, I can make peace with all of the mistakes I've made lately and my actions with Oogie Boogie as well.' _

Jack gave a final fleeting glance in the direction of the gorge and then shook his head and began to head around to the front of the tree now. He wanted to be with Sally again, to hear her voice. "Sally?" he called out quietly, not wanting to alert the children of his presence before he found her and they were ready to head up into the tree house to check on them. "Sally…?" He had seen her head to this side of the tree—she must be waiting for him here near where the trick-or-treaters had entered. "Sally…"

Jack came upon the front of the tree and froze.

Sally wasn't there.

Why wasn't she there?

And why did she not reply, no matter where she might be nearby?

But there was nothing but silence and the bright moonlight overhead.

Jack's eye sockets suddenly picked up on little footprints in the shape of Sally's shoes in the grey dirt around the front of the tree house. The footprints continued until they hit the area with leaves.

Jack looked up. A trap door set in the floor of the tree house was above those leaves.

A very dark look came to Jack's features, which was only tempered by his recent thoughts about letting his temper get the better of him with Oogie.

That hesitation, however, did not stop him from stealthily climbing up the side of the tree in the direction of the tree house (and his Sally).

* * *

Sally was trying very hard to stay very calm, but it was dark up here, and she had been taken by surprise, and this awful net still surrounded her. "Who's there? Let me go!" she announced defiantly, trying to untangle herself.

The giggles of three familiar children only met her ears.

"See I told you it was her!"

"Oh, but come on, Shock, that was too perfect—her out here all alone! What were the odds?"

"Hey, why fight it? We can get the job done faster now!"

"That's for sure!"

Sally let out a breath, trying to be strong. "I'm not afraid of you three," she managed in a steady voice. "Let me go right now or you'll be sorry! Even if I don't do anything to you, Jack certainly—"

She was cut off by the sound of more giggling in the shadows.

"Oh, come on—what would the Pumpkin King care about a servant?"

"Yeah, he only saved you last time because it was convenient. He had to save Sandy Claws and you just happened to be there."

"Besides, no one knows you're here…"

Sally considered informing them of Jack's presence below but then decided against it. Jack might need the element of surprise, just like with Oogie Boogie, and she didn't want to spoil that possibility for him. Besides, she knew the children were just trying to tease and frighten her. "What do you want?" she finally asked simply.

The net was suddenly loosened and fell around her on the dusty floor upon which she knelt. Sally blinked a few times until she could see better in the dim light of the place and finally saw Lock, Shock and Barrel grinning at her a few paces away.

Shock smiled more and stepped forward. "What we want is simple, Sally. You're the one who sews, and we need something sewn…"

Sally blinked. "What do you need sewn?"

Shock picked up the large stack of burlap sacks from a corner of the room and placed them near the ragdoll. "These—and into a very particular, sort of monster-like shape."

Sally instantly realized what Shock meant and looked right at the children with wide eyes. "I won't do it."

* * *

Jack, meanwhile, was up on one side of the tree house finding his way into the upper level through the roof as stealthily as possible. It was a little hard to keep his movements quiet though when he was seething so badly that he was practically shaking.

Jack paused for a moment as he entered a small, dusty window in the roof and took a deep breath. '_Calm, be calm. She's safe…she's capable…and you're here for her. Be calm_…'

Some giggles from the main section of the tree house met Jack's ears.

Jack crawled along the narrow space between the roof and the ceiling, seeing a dim light ahead. He quickly found himself looking down into the tree house from a space in the ceiling where half a wooden board was missing. And now he could see and hear perfectly the conversation going on.

He would wait for the right moment to strike.

As long as Sally still appeared to safe, he wanted the chance to find out what these children were up to.

* * *

"But you have to!" Lock ordered, stepping forward to Sally with his pitchfork. "You're the sew-er! _You_ _have_ to sew it!"

"What is wrong with the three of you?" Sally looked from one child to the next and then to the next, trying to reason with them as calmly as she could manage. "Why would you want me to sew a new Oogie Boogie body?"

Shock sighed and rolled her eyes. She walked over to an adjacent wall that had some large mass pushed against it and covered with a black cloth, "Because…" she reached up and pulled the cloth aside, "We don't have anymore cages to keep the bugs in!" And behind the cloth were all sorts of small wire cages each filled with big, colorful bugs.

Sally felt quite sick and quickly looked away from the sight with a cringe. "But I thought Jack took care of all of those! Where did those even come from anyway?" She remembered the sight of Oogie Boogie falling apart over the vat of boiling oil, all of the bugs collapsing and squealing. She pushed the memories away.

"From Oogie's lair, of course!" Barrel explained with a shrug. "The pipeline leads right to there." He pointed with his lollipop toward a large hole in the wall around which was painted a scary face and the mouth of which was the circular entrance to the metal tube outside. "And we don't know how any of them survived after what Jack did to Oogie—I guess there were eggs down there or something." He scratched his head.

Lock scowled. "The point is, it's getting really annoying having these bugs crawling in here all the time now!" He used his pitchfork to push some of the burlap more toward Sally. "So just make us a sack body, Sally—it doesn't have to be big or scary or anything. In fact, make it NOT big and scary so we don't have to be terrified of Oogie Boogie all the time. But just make something. We can't deal with these capturing these things anymore. The crawly ones aren't so bad, but the stinging ones pinch!"

"And if anyone knows how to make a cloth body it's the girl with a cloth body—and one so familiar with Oogie Boogie," Shock suddenly teased with a giggle, giving Sally a wink. "We know what happened down there Christmas Eve, you know. We can hear everything that goes on in the lair from the mouth of the pipe. And so look on the bright side—maybe the new Oogie can be your boyfriend as long as he's not too upset with you about all the trouble you caused him."

Lock nodded as he attempted to cage another bug that had just come up from the pipeline. "Shock's right about one thing—Oogie was awfully sore about how you tricked him last time. And I've gotta say, I didn't think you had that in you."

"Yeah," Barrel agreed, finally tackling the bug and quickly throwing it into the cage Lock was holding. "You're always so…quiet and polite. Go figure."

Sally just looked at the three of them with a slight blush and a distinct pout, though she did her best to keep her head held high and not to be taken in by their teasing. "Well, it's all your fault that I ever had to go near him in the first place. You three gave Santa to him. I did what I had to do to get him out. And I have to say, for someone who thought of himself as the greatest evil genius in town, Oogie Boogie was certainly quite a coward to be picking on sweet, jolly old men and defenseless rag dolls…and certainly very dumb to be taken in by a little leg." She blushed a bit more but managed to remain firm though her lip trembled and she wished they would move on from everything that had happened down in that lair.

"Yeah, yeah, Oogie had his own issues, we know…" Shock just rolled her eyes and then smiled in her mischievous way at Sally. "Come on, Sally, just do this and then we'll let you go—we won't ever tell anyone we found you. We know you wouldn't like the Doctor finding out about where you are. He'd make you come home with him." She leaned closer to her, speaking in a sickeningly sweet way. "We just want Oogie back in some form to restore the balance of power with Jack. We're too naughty to be on his good side all the time, and it's nice to have someone else who's powerful to fall back on."

Sally frowned and scowled at her. "When Jack founds out about this, you'll be lucky if you—"

"Ah, but he's not going to find out!" Shock pulled back and announced proudly, cutting her off. "Because we won't tell him, and because you aren't going anywhere until you agree to sew the body, and by then even if we let you go it'll be too late. Now, are you going to get to sewing or what? Come on, we've got more bugs than we know what to do with here!" She crossed her arms over her chest.

Sally let our a firm breath and then said with as much courage as she could, "Send me back to the Doctor if that's what you have to do. I don't care if he locks me away. I'm not going to help you rebuild that thing just because you three can't think of anything better to do about your bug problem."

Shock sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, fine, we'll do it the hard way. Boys!" She snapped her fingers. "Tie up the sew-er—hands behind her back, I don't want her using them for any funny business."

Lock and Barrel nodded, and then before Sally knew it they had her hands behind her back and had them tied up with a piece of rope.

Sally frowned at all of them and struggled for a moment. But then she let out a calming, resigned breath and tried a more reasonable tone again. "Lock, Shock, Barrel…" she looked at the three children once more, "Don't you think sewing Oogie a new body is a bad idea? He might do something really bad to get revenge on the town for what happened to him. Wouldn't you rather talk to Jack and find another way to fix this?" _'Reason with them, Sally, reason…. It might work, and even if it doesn't, at least it'll buy Jack some time. And besides, there's always plan B…_' Sally took another deep, comforting breath at that thought.

And indeed meanwhile, as Sally tried to talk her way out of her situation with the trick-or-treaters , behind her back the fingers of one hand were working diligently at pulling stitches out of her other hand's wrist. She was making good progress and knew, with relief, that the hand would be detached and free soon and ready as a secret weapon to assist her if need be.

* * *

Jack, from his place above everything, was still listening very carefully. He was still waiting for the perfect moment to step in, and now that those three had dared tie up Sally he was pretty sure that moment was close. As long as she wasn't in any immediate danger though, and as long as she didn't seem too afraid (indeed, her display of fearlessness couldn't help but make the marrow in Jack's bones quicken), why not let the children explain as much more as possible about what was going on with the bugs and Oogie Boogie and themselves, especially since Jack knew that as soon as he caught them they would probably either lie or not talk entirely?

Also, something else made Jack hesitate, lost in some curious thoughts.

It was that strange talk of the Doctor 'locking up' Sally that was mostly preoccupying his mind right now. After all, he had already started to pick up the hints from Sally that her relationship with the Doctor was not a very good one, though he had never imagined anything as extreme as Sally ever being 'locked up'.

And something else from the conversation below was also on his mind too…. The words about Sally tricking Oogie Boogie somehow, and the children being shocked about her doing something…and… the 'boyfriend' comment. And also Jack knew what the phrase 'showing a little leg' meant in most contexts. He was very concerned.

Jack took a deep breath. '_Try to let it go for now. Be ready to pounce at the right moment. And figure out what these children are up to once and for all, for the sake of the town.'_

He continued to wait, gearing himself up.

* * *

_Meanwhile, down below…_

"We're not going to Jack about the bugs!" Lock scowled and announced instantly at Sally's suggestion. "He made us swear to take down the lair pipeline last year, and he'd be furious if he knew we'd rebuilt it. And especially if he knew that we'd shoved Sandy Claws down it like a chimney into Oogie's lair during all the Christmas stuff."

"Yeah," Barrel announced with a nod and a lick of his lollipop, "And we're just lucky he hasn't come knocking on our door about the Santa stuff at all in the first place. He put us in charge of taking care of that old guy and making him comfortable, and we crossed our fingers behind our backs when we agreed and completely didn't do that. We've been cowering in here waiting for him to punish us for days!" He glanced around uneasily, unable to help it.

"Besides, I refuse to grovel to Jack!" Shock announced defiantly. "He could be a million times scarier than he already is if he'd stop trying to be so sensitive and polite all the time. When he acts like that, the fact that he's King gives all of Halloween and all of us a bad name." She shrugged, scowling more. "Like when we brought that pink bunny here by mistake instead of Sandy—Oogie would have screamed at us and then turned the bunny into stew! Jack screamed at us and then smiled and apologized 'ever so sweetly' to the pink bunny. I'm surprised he didn't give it a hug and a pat on the head first before sending him off, the big softie." She rolled her eyes.

Sally just sighed. "You know, you don't have to be a violent psychopath to be a good leader or to deserve respect, Shock, even in Halloween Town," she added logically and yet also with a touch of dryness she couldn't help.

"Maybe not," Lock interjected, kicking some of the cages into a better pile, "But it doesn't hurt. Jack's only scary one day of the year anymore—the other three hundred and sixty four, he's all moping and brooding or just not around at all."

"And then he went and made us do sappy Christmas," Barrel complained as he tossed the dark covering over the bug cages again.

"Ugh!" All the children announced at once. "Christmas!"

Sally blinked, looking at them with interest. "He was just trying to share a new culture with all of you. He didn't mean to make you do anything you didn't like or to seem like he wasn't taking his scaring duties seriously. Jack's a very complicated person. He has many sides and he just wanted to share with all of you something that had made him happy." _'Just two more stitches to go_…' Her fingers worked behind her as diligently as possible to finally free her hand.

"But we don't want to learn about other things that aren't scary!" Barrel complained, sitting himself atop one of the covered cages.

"Exactly!" Shock agreed with a nod.

"It's Halloween Town, let's celebrate Halloween! It's the best holiday anyway!" Lock added, raising his pitchfork in the air.

"But there are many holidays," Sally urged, trying to smile. "This might be the best place for Halloween, but there's nothing wrong with learning about and celebrating other special days too, as long as it's all done within reason."

"Eh, Oogie wouldn't have stood for that." Lock waved Sally off. "He would have gone and destroyed those other holidays and made Halloween the only one, or at least he would have kept any of them from bringing new stuff to Halloween Town."

Barrel nodded. "Yeah. We don't care so much that the other holidays are around, we just don't want to have to deal with them and all their sappy stuff."

"Anyway, we're getting off subject," Shock suddenly announced firmly, glaring at the two boys and then at Sally, "Are you gonna make our bug body sack or are we going to have to just all sit here and wait patiently until you do?"

'_Just one more stitch_…' Sally thought to herself eagerly. To the kids she shrugged innocently and looked down. "Even if I agreed to sew that…" Sally started with an unassuming smile, gesturing with her head to the pile of burlap at her side, "don't you think you three should wait until all the bugs come up, that way I would have all the materials? And besides…how do you know other parts of Oogie might not come up—fully put together parts even?" _'And…done!"_ Her hand was now free and it gently dropped to the floor. The extra looseness in the rope let her slide the other hand out now with ease as well.

Sally sent the detached hand on a little stealthy mission through the shadows along the walls. She continued to hold both arms behind her back meanwhile, still pretending to be tied up.

"There can't be any extra parts," Barrel replied, licking his lollipop again. "Jack made them go all gooey and melt in the vat of stew."

Sally just shrugged. "But he made all the bugs go into the stew too…but some of those have come back. Who's to say a little part of Oogie might not creep up from there too, coming back for revenge? And he might not like that you helped Jack in the end with Christmas…or that you told me I could make any old body for him, especially a silly and unscary one." She smiled a little more.

Meanwhile, Sally's trusty hand had snuck around the perimeter of the room to right underneath the pipeline's opening. It waited on its fingertips, clearly ready to pounce.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Lock tried to wave her off but there was a definite touch of hesitation in his tone. "That's just dumb."

"No parts of Oogie are going to come out of there," Shock added bluntly, looking at the gaping pipeline opening…and looking…and looking. Then she blinked and turned away, trying to hide any unease with another scowl.

"It's just bugs…" Barrel looked down at the covered cages he was still sitting on. "Just…um…bugs, nothing else."

Sally smiled a little more. "I hope so…. But how can you be so sure?"

And..._pounce!_

"AHH!" Barrel cried out, suddenly falling off of the cages. "What was that?!" He clutched his lollipop close and gazed around nervously, breathing heavily.

Lock rolled his eyes, though he did gulp. "Oh, what, Barrel, are you becoming a scardy cat? Next thing you know you'll be singing sappy Christmas songs like sappy old King Jac—AH! Something pinched me!?" Lock was up against a wall, breathing heavily, pitchfork front and center for defense.

"Oh, relax you ninnies, sheesh," Shock did her best to announce casually, rolling her eyes, "One of the bugs probably got loose. It's fi—…"

Everyone paused.

Some small (but far too big to be a bug) thing had just darted across the floor in the shadows.

And there it was again!

"Ah!" The kids all gasped together.

And it darted yet again!

"Ahh!" They gasped more!

By now all three of them were huddled together in a corner.

"M-Maybe it's just a rat…?" Barrel suggested.

"Oh," Lock retorted, "Well, why don't you just go and check then, worms for brains!"

"You want to be the leader, YOU go check!" Barrel shot back.

"Ha!" Lock scoffed, shaking his head. "No way—Shock wants to be the leader much more than I do!" He looked at Shock. "Shock, I give up leadership to you entirely. Go check what that is!"

Shock rolled her eyes and scowled. "Oh, thank you, 'my heroes!' Sheesh, you two big jerks, sending a lady in to do the dirty work. Well…fine! I-I'll go check…" She swallowed, looking toward the shadows, but didn't move just yet.

"Well, get going!" Lock urged.

"Hey, I'm planning, okay?!" Shock shot back.

"Well," Sally suddenly started up softly from her place still kneeling on the floor (and still pretending to be tied up), "One of you had better check soon. If part of him is back, he'll be much angrier at you three for betraying his plans to the town during Christmas then he'll be at me just for doing whatever I could to not get me or Santa eaten in stew."

"Hey," Shock shot back to her, speaking shakily but trying to scowl with authority, "If you're so brave then why don't you go check it out?!"

Sally smiled but shrugged. "I can't. I'm still tied up, see?" She raised her shoulders a little, keeping her arms behind her back.

Shock sighed deeply. "Oh man, I'm surrounded. Fine, I'll do it." And then she quickly moved forward away from the boys and went to investigate. "Here, little intruder, come here…Auntie Shock has a nice mace with you name on it." Shock grinned and cackled wickedly. She searched, checking corners and underneath old furniture…but found nothing. "See, I told you," she turned back to the two still slightly scared boys, "It was just a rat or—AH! It's in my dress, it's in my dress, get it out of my dress!" Shock suddenly started screaming as something did crawl around between the lining of her dress and the outer fabric, scaring her half to death. "Now it's in my hair!" The something had crawled up her back to her neck.

The boys hesitated at first.

"Help me, you ninnies!" Shock screamed. "AH! What's it doing?" She tried to reach for it but it was too fast, whatever it was. But whatever it was it didn't feel like a rat or a bug! And now it was moving to her face!

Meanwhile, on her little spot on the floor Sally just giggled privately to herself. '_Wow. This is going well…'_

* * *

In the rafters, Jack grinned to himself and tried not to chuckle too much. '_Well played, Sally, very well played. Oh, how could she ever think she's not scary? Of course with all of her cleverness, she came up with a way to even scare the trick-or-treaters, and all on the spot. Splendid.'_ Jack sighed and continued watching the show.

* * *

Sally had noticed for a several minutes now a few slight sounds coming from the rafters above, and she had a feeling she knew whom those sounds belonged to. And the idea of Jack being so close gave her more comfort and confidence now. And she also couldn't help but think to herself with a touch of pride, '_Maybe now Jack will see how well I can take care of things myself.'_

Meanwhile, Shock's screams finally snapped the boys out of their surprise enough to get them to race over and help her.

"Ah! Hey, watch it!"

"Shock, we're just trying to—"

"I don't care! Oh, just let me do i—AH!"

_CRASH!_

The hand had finally left Shock, but not before causing her to lose her balance in the struggle and knock right into Lock and Barrel, toppling them all over to the floor.

"Hey!"

"Ouch!"

"What the—"

"Move it!"

Finally Sally couldn't take it anymore and she stood up, letting the loose ropes fall from her limbs as she laughed to herself at the whole spectacle.

Obviously the three kids paused in everything they were doing and looked up at her in surprise.

"Hey, how the heck did you—"

"Oh, I just had help from a little friend of mine," Sally replied back humbly. "See." Then she gave a little whistle and instantly her hand scampered forward on its fingers from the shadows.

The three kids looked at the hand and then looked back at Sally and scowled.

"Hey!" They all got up, dusting themselves off. Shock stepped forward first. "Nobody tricks the trick-or-treaters!"

"Yeah," Lock approached now, holding up his pitch fork, "And especially not in their own club house."

"That's right!" Barrel agreed, coming forward too. "Oogie Boogie's the only one who could ever order us around all the time."

"Speaking of Oogie Boogie, you like pretending to be him so much, servant Sally?" Shock grinned mischievously. "Fine." She then suddenly snatched up Sally's unsuspecting hand from the floor, holding it tightly in her grasp as it struggled. "Why don't we send this down to Oogie's lair and see if it makes any friends in there?" She cackled, walking over to the pipeline.

"NO!" Sally instantly called out. "Give me back my ha—Ow!" The two boys suddenly dashed forward and were now holding her back by her arms. Sally struggled against them (and meanwhile her poor hand struggled in Shock's grasp). "Give it back! It's my hand! I don't want it down there, I don't want any part of me down there ever again!" she cried.

Shock firmed up her grip and held the hand right over the pipeline's mouth. "Say you'll sew the body or it's going down, and maybe we'll send down other parts of you every time you say no if you try any more funny business like this!"

Sally just shook her head. "No, I can't! I won't sew another Oogie Boogie!" She felt very panicked right now—she wasn't sure if her hand would be Able to crawl back up out of there. And what if there were more bugs? What if they tore apart her hand and ate it, just like Oogie had wanted to do to?! Sally sighed deeply and felt very sick for a moment.

She felt a lot better when Jack suddenly stealthily dropped down from the rafters right behind Shock with a look of darkness on his features.

Lock and Barrel, who were facing Shock, just froze and stared in utter disbelief. Their jaws dropped and their arms fell limp, releasing Sally.

"Hey Lock? Barrel?" Shock raised an eyebrow and then rolled her eyes. "Come on, don't look so horrified—it's not like this is the darkest thing I've ever done. Heck, it's not even the darkest thing I've done _this morning_!" She grinned at Sally again. "Wave bye bye to your hand, Sally. You can always sew Oogie's body with one hand. We know you can."

Then just as Shock was about to give the little appendage a toss into the dark tunnel…it was suddenly lightly removed from her grasp. She turned around only to see Jack standing there of course.

He looked terrifying. Truly. Such a horribly black scowl was etched on his features, his shoulders were raised, and the half-light glowed against his skull and suit menacingly. He looked more frightening than Oogie Boogie.

Then he sighed and closed his eyes and the anger slipped away. He opened his eyes and small smile came to his lips. He approached Sally now, cradling the hand in both of his, and bowed a little before her. "I believe this is yours."

Sally let out a very grateful breath and took the hand from him. She held it close and the hand held close to her, trembling from its ordeal. "Thank you…" she said softly. Then she added with a slight pout, "You could have come in a little sooner though."

Jack frowned sympathetically. "Sorry. You had everything so under control, and it was amusing to watch what you were doing to them. I was just as shocked as you were when they threatened to hurt part of you." His gaze warmed and he smiled a little again. "Forgive me, please?"

Sally looked into his eyes and tried not to smile too much. "About this…yes." Then she did smile fully too, unable to help it.

Jack smiled more and gave a nod. "Good." He then turned back to the children. "Now then…" Something very dark and frightening returned to his features, and he slowly began to stalk around three small citizens. "You mock me, you plot against me, you show contempt for my forgiveness, you dismiss my abilities, and you threaten my _dear friend_…" His tone became darkest at the last phrase.

"J-Jack, we're sorry, we're, you see—a-and then—we were tricked—and we didn't—" They all started at different times and with slight variations.

"AWGHHH!" Jack whipped around and dashed right between the three of them, bellowing a screech with a particularly horrifying face of bared teeth and his forked tongue sticking out.

The three children gasped and huddled together, looking up at Jack with wide eyes.

Sally, meanwhile, went through the particularly pleasurable experience of trembling in a touch of natural fear and feeling positively quivery in delight at the rare sight of how scary Jack could be when he really tried to be. One of her private fantasies was always catching him in such a spooky state and wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders and kissing with him until all of his terrifying-ness melted into sweet love and sensuality. Sally swallowed and tried to focus on quickly sewing her hand back onto her arm. Her cheeks were so flushed with warmth that she figured her head must look like a grape by now, and she wanted that to go away before any attention came back to her again.

Meanwhile, Jack leaned down low over the children, his eye sockets still narrowed menacingly.

The trick-or-treaters were very quiet.

Jack spoke very calmly…so calmly it was quite terrifying in fact. "You three…look into my eyes. What do you see there?"

"Um…darkness…" Lock suggested.

"A-And coldness…" Barrel supplied.

"And angriness…" Shock finished.

"Yes," Jack nodded, "Very good. And that is going to be your future from me, children—darkness and coldness and angriness…" his voice lowered until he was almost bellowing, "unless you stop these selfish shenanigans and start acting like responsible citizens and loyal subjects!" He rose up, still glaring down at them. "I am Jack Skellington, I am the Pumpkin King, I am your leader, and I am the most frightening figure Halloween has ever known. And I am a million other things besides those titles, even if you don't respect all of who I can be." He his gaze and tone were firm. "In this town, which we call home, everyone hails to the Pumpkin song…and my song says we are scary, not evil. Do you know the difference between those two things, you three?" Something in his face softened a little.

The three children blinked, unsure if they should answer, but then Jack really seemed to be waiting so Lock took a shot at it. "Um…yes…no…well…uh, those are kind of the same thing."

Jack shook his head though. "No. They're not. Not at all." Then he walked over to Sally. She was just standing there, all put together again, watching the children and Jack with interest. Now that Jack came back over to her she looked up at him curiously. He stood before her and then smiled a little and took her hand, raising it up. He glanced back at the children and brought Sally toward them. "The difference is that people who are scary can also be many other things too. But people who are evil can't be other things because they have no love to help them be anything else but evil." He let out a breath. "It might have been quite terrifying to drop poor Sally's hand into that awful tube, but it also would have been evil. And saving her—and pardoning you three—might not be that scary, but it's an act of love and still very worthwhile in its own way…don't you think?" He looked at them very expectantly.

The children studied his face carefully.

"Why the heck would you love us? Ow!" Shock, who had just been poked in the back by Lock's pitchfork after her question, turned and glared at the boy.

Lock looked to the side casually. "Shock...don't rock the boat, okay?" he said under his breath.

Shock just scoffed though. "No, I wanna know!" She glared up at Jack with a frown and an eyebrow raised. "We betray you all the time and do all sorts of things you tell us not to do, and nobody in town even trusts us, but now you expect us to believe you love us. What's the trick?"

Jack blinked a few times and frowned a little. "Of course I love you. I love everyone in our town—I think of us all as family." He smiled. "And despite your mistakes, yes, I do love you three, and quite particularly." His smile grew. "I like children. And besides the corpse kid who mostly spends time with his mother and father, you three are the only children around here. And I'm very glad you're a part of our town."

The three kids just watched him with silent interest…as did Sally.

"So…" Lock started, an eyebrow raised as he took a step forward, "No punishment then?" His tone was sincere as he clearly tried his best to piece together a conclusion from Jack's response. "We can just…do what we want because you love us?"

Jack let out a sigh and shook his head, though a small smile still remained on his features. "Not at all, on either account." He frowned a little. "If I punish you, it's only because I care enough about you to encourage you to be the best citizens and children you can be. And while nothing you do will ever make me hate you or threaten you to get you to obey me like Oogie used to sometimes, I would hope that my love and respect for you would be returned all on your own, and that you would think carefully about the consequences of disobeying my laws and requests, and that you would also have the decency and loyalty not to do anything treacherous or harmful to the nature of this town or its citizens." He smiled. "Don't you think it would be more fun to be scary and mischievous and to have me laughing right along with you, even if some of your pranks might frustrate me sometimes, than to be plotting and threatening others and wondering all the while when I'm going to catch you and how I'm going to punish you?"

The children considered this speech very carefully.

"Well…"

"I…"

"Um…"

"We could still play pranks, still get into trouble…and it would be okay?" Shock raised an eyebrow again.

Jack shrugged and nodded. "Of course. That's in your nature. You're trick-or-treaters, after all—Halloween needs trick-or-treaters, and what would trick-or-treaters be without tricks?" He laughed a little before adding, "You just can't…kidnap people, cause violence against people—you can't ruin other people's pursuit of happiness just for the sake of your own." His gaze grew a little stern again for a moment. "You wouldn't like if the whole town came and rounded you three up and…boiled you into stew or put you in the stocks in the town square, or sent you somewhere, I don't know…" Jack swallowed and glanced to the side, "…all pink and soft and full of roses, right?"

The three kids gasped.

"Ew!"

"No!"

"Never!"

"Exactly!" Jack clapped his hands together, his smile returning. "So, everyone in town is kind enough to let you express yourselves, and you're kind enough to not ruin anyone's undead life in town. Do we have an agreement?" Jack leaned down, holding out his bony hand.

The three kids seemed to ponder things for a moment, and then looked at each other, communicating something silently, though it wasn't clear what.

Jack bent down a little and lowered his voice considerably. He didn't seem angry, just firm. "And do not cross anything behind anything ever again when you make a deal with me—I do not tolerate lying, just so we're clear. And if you think you get terrified by those little scary faces I do for you, you have not seen anything yet." A little grin curled at the edge of his mouth. "Remember, I had no fear of Oogie Boogie. Ever. "

The kids looked at him very seriously then and with a touch of respect too. They finally nodded.

"Yes, Jack…we agree." Shock reached out and shook his hand.

"Yeah, we promise, Jack." Barrel shook too.

"You have our word, Jack." Lock shook too.

Jack let out a content sigh and straightened up with a smile. "Splendid. Now that just leaves two…well, three matters left to deal with. First…punishment."

"Aw!" the kids all said in unison, frowning again.

"It's a fair punishment," Jack assured. He gestured with his thumb over to the gaping hole in the wall caused by the pipeline starting there. "That pipeline is being torn down. And I will be taking periodic strolls out here to make sure nothing like it gets put back up again. Not that it will matter anyway though—I've come to a decision, actually. You see, I'm planning to have Oogie's gorge filled in. I thought a nice fungus garden or maybe a swamp would go lovely there."

Lock, Shock and Barrel all blinked in surprise but then sighed and looked down and nodded.

"Okay…"

"Yes…"

"All right, I guess."

"Very good." Jack glanced over to the other side of the tree house. "Now, the second matter of business. I want those bugs in those cages loaded up into your walking bathtub, and you children will accompany Sally and I with the tub to the town hall now. We'll find _the right way_ to take care of this bug problem once and for all." He looked back to the children, something in his gaze growing a little stern. "And in the future, I would appreciate it if you would bring potentially dangerous problems such as this one to me and right away instead of trying to deal with things like this on your own."

"Sure, Jack, no problem," replied Lock, while Barrel and Shock nodded. He then whistled for the tub which quickly came forward and stood at attention.

"Yeah, and we'll try to come to you with any problems," Barrel added, shuffling a little.

"Good." Jack nodded his approval. "And now one last thing before we go." Then he stepped aside and gave a small bow, gesturing to a certain lady behind him. "You will apologize to our dear Sally for her abduction, your rough treatment of her, and your threats against her." He frowned, scowling a little. "She has been through enough thanks to you three and me, she doesn't need anybody putting anymore on her."

Lock came forward first, looking down in a touch of shame. "Um…sorry, Sally."

Barrel came forward too, likewise looking downward. "Yeah, sorry."

Shock was a bit resistant for a moment but then she came forward too, likewise glancing down, though with a stubborn pout her two cohorts didn't have. "I'm sorry, Sally. I didn't mean to make you sad or to bring up stuff about you and Oogie or to almost throw your hand away."

Sally looked down shyly and nodded to the children. "Thank you." She swallowed and added, smiling more and glancing to the man at her side. "And thank you too, Jack." She moved a little closer to him. Honestly, she wanted to drape her arms over him and cuddle into his chest just for the relief she felt about being safe and being reunited with him, but she figured now was neither the time nor the place and so she held off as best she could.

Jack smiled sweetly in her direction for a moment, but then he cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the kids. "All right then, erm…Lock, Shock, Barrel, let's get the bugs loaded into your tub and then we'll be on our way." Jack went over to the pile of cages and pulled off the black cloth. He observed the wide eyes and panicked motions of the bugs, but was relieved on closer inspection to see that there weren't _too_ many of them to deal with yet. '_Only a couple dozen. Not too terrible, it could be a coincidence. Either way, I can't keep this a secret from the town. Those three would let it slip to somebody and then it would look like there was something to hide and then the town would go into panic. This way is much easier_.' He lifted a couple of small cages and placed them into the tub.

The children went to help him and so did Sally.

* * *

Pretty soon the trick-or-treating trio, the Pumpkin King, and the ragdoll seamstress were all out of the tree house and on their way to town, Jack and Sally walking at the back and Lock, Shock and Barrel leading the way out in front with their loaded up bathtub.

"You know, not that I'm trying to help you or anything," Shock started after climbing on top of the cages in the walking tub and looking to Sally, "But the Doctor really does have the whole town out looking for you. You might want to lay low and not come with us, if you know what I mean."

Sally swallowed and looked down.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Sally, what does she mean?" He tried to smile. "I'd imagine even if the Doctor can be a little overbearing that he'll be happy to see you safe and sound." Yet still, even as he said these assuring words, the memory of what Shock had said to Sally in the tree house about the Doctor 'locking her up' came back to him.

"Hmm…" Shock laughed, turning on the cages to face forward again while she looked at the Pumpkin King over her shoulder, "For someone who's supposed to be our fearless leader, you sure don't know a lot of the more miserable things going on in this town, do you, Jack?"

"Yeah," Lock added, glancing over his shoulder to Jack as well as he walked along one side of the tub, "Misery's our specialty. We know every dirty trick in this town."

"Yup, no question." Barrel nodded, taking up the position on the other side of the tub and walking backward to look at Jack as he licked his lollipop.

Jack just looked from the children to Sally, a frown spreading over his features that he couldn't help. "Sally…what are they talking about?"

Sally swallowed again. "I'll explain it to you later, Jack," she replied softly. Then she smiled a little and addressed the children. "I appreciate the warning but don't worry about me, I can handle myself."

Shock just sighed and shrugged. "Okay, whatever you say."

"Hey, speaking of missing people, Jack, seriously, where have you been lately?" Lock asked, turning around completely to walk backward so that he could face the Pumpkin King as well. "The only time anyone's seen you all this week since Christmas is once when you went into town and bought…fabric? Since then you've been like a ghost."

"Yeah, what gives?" asked Barrel eagerly.

"Yeah, and what's been going on in your tower exactly that the lights are on all the time?" Shock added, craning her head back to look at Jack and Sally.

Jack's thoughts went away from the Doctor for now, and he swallowed and did his best to maintain his composure at this new line of questioning, though he could feel his skill heating up a little. He shrugged and smiled casually. "I've just been doing some Halloween planning. And the fabric, well…I just needed some. And I plan to apologize for my absence to everyone at the town meeting—I've been very worn out from the Christmas fiasco, I'm afraid, among other things, so I've been relaxing as much as possible to make sure I'm at my best for next Halloween."

"_You_ need to be your best for _next_ Halloween…in _ten months?"_ Shock asked, eyeing him a little.

Jack shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "Yes, well…believe me, you three, the last few months have taken more out of me than the last few centuries of Halloweens have. I've needed some time to think."

Shock still eyed him but then shrugged and moved her head back to face forward.

Jack let out his own mental sigh of relief (right along with Sally—indeed, both of them managed a quick glance and smile at each other before returning to looking at the children.)

"So, what are you two doing together exactly?" Lock suddenly asked.

"Yeah, and have you seen Jewel? The doctor's looking for her too," Barrel added.

"Um…" Sally started, taking up the mantle of explaining things now, "Well, um…after Jack saved me from Oogie Boogie, I ran away because I didn't want to be found by the Doctor. But…uh…Jack saw me today out in the forest and finally convinced me to come back to town for my safety." She smiled, secretly crossing her fingers that that excuse would go over well.

The children seemed satisfied enough, for the moment at least.

"Oh…okay."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Mmm hmm…all right, then." (That last one came from a still somewhat suspicious Shock).

"And Jewel," Jack added with a smile and a shrug, "Well, while Sally and I were walking back to town we heard a yell and saw she had slipped near the old town bridge and fallen down onto a ledge near the mouth of the gorge. It seems she was wandering out here, looking for us of all people. So Sally and I worked together to pull her up! And, um…then Jewel went on ahead of us back to town with Zero because we thought we saw something near your tree house and decided to investigate." His smile brightened (and so did Sally's) as the story managed to string itself together so well even after all of the parts with romantic turmoil had been taken out.

Jack and Sally waited quietly, holding their nonexistent breaths for any more potential questions, but luckily none came as the children just finally shrugged and nodded in acceptance, then all went back to looking forward again as they continued their march into town.

Jack and Sally strolled forward casually for several more paces and then made sure to hang back a few more steps from the children and the tub. They spoke to each other in low voices.

Jack smiled. "Sally, you were very brave with the trick-or-treaters, and you handled their bullying very well. I couldn't have done a better job wrangling them myself."

Sally smiled too. "Thank you, Jack. And you were very kind and smart back in the tree house, Jack. You didn't fight the trick-or-treaters with scariness or force—instead, you told them you love them and they listened to you."

Jack grinned a little. "Thank you, Sally. I'm glad it worked. And it's the truth…" he sighed. "Almost losing everything at Christmas reminded me not only of how much I do love the essence of Halloween but of how much I love everyone here. They're all my family, Sally, I couldn't live without them…and that includes the children…and you too of course." He moved just a little closer alongside her.

Sally smiled more. "You're such a good leader, Jack. I'm very proud of you. And I'm happy we're family." She practically wanted to giggle.

Jack chuckled a little. "Thank you, Sally," he mumbled cutely.

Then Sally swallowed and asked with a small grin of her own, "So…you really like children that much?"

Jack blinked and nodded. "Oh, yes." He smiled again. "That's half the reason I wanted to do Christmas. For Halloween, children dress up, and even though I love watching them I can never see their smiling faces. Helping with Christmas, I was looking forward to seeing their smiles for once…" He frowned a little. "And I guess they would have been smiling if I hadn't terrified them so much and ruined their holiday."

"Oh Jack," Sally assured, "It's not exactly that you 'terrified them' and 'ruined everything.' They would have liked a good scare if it had been Halloween. They just weren't expecting it for Christmas. But living children do love you, Jack, I just know it…and undead ones do too." She smiled more, looking forward, seeming in thought. "Jack? You've been to two other holiday worlds—are there a lot of children in them?"

Jack considered. "Well, besides Sandy there were mostly just elves in Christmas Town, though some of them may have been children. I'm not sure. But in Valentine's town, yes, there are many children. People seem to really enjoy having them there." He smiled a touch sheepishly, then cleared his throat and added, "I observed some of them, but I never actually spoke to them. I was worried I would frighten them too much."

Sally sighed softly. "I guess only Halloween children like a good scare all the time. It really is too bad we don't have more yet."

"Yes," Jack nodded, completely oblivious at first, "I…" Then he paused and considered her reply. '_Yet?'_ "Hmm?" He glanced at Sally and raised an eyebrow.

Sally, however, just giggled and dashed ahead a little to the tub. '_Poor silly skeleton man…_' she thought to herself. _'Oh I really hope he does like children and the idea of more Halloween children._' She smiled more to herself.

Jack, meanwhile, just kept to the back for a moment and watched her with such interest. He clearly could have gotten her joke but perhaps just wasn't ready to get it yet, though he had a pretty strong feeling he should be turning lily white with heat in his skull right about now (a guess confirmed for him by the fact that he had caught a light blush in Sally's cheek before she had pranced on ahead of him).

Jack let out a breath and tugged at his collar a little. '_I hope this town meeting gets over with quickly,_' he thought to himself. _'I really need to go and spend a lot of alone time with Sally…though I don't think it's going to be easy explaining to everyone and the Doctor that Sally's going to be going home with me from now on. As long as she definitely chooses to stay with me, of course.'_ Jack did his best not to think about the potential awkwardness. Then he frowned a little. '_But one thing's for certain—if Sally is as unhappy about going back to the Doctor as I think she is, and if the Doctor might really demand to take her back anyway, I simply won't allow it to happen. She is going to have the freedom to make her own choice. No matter what happens in our relationship, I'll see to that._' Jack nodded to himself, and his smile returned as his gaze found the sight of Sally again, walking along and looking at the moonlit scenery. He smiled more and increased his pace to catch up with Sally while his thoughts moved on to concerns about the best way to apologize for his absence and present the bug problem as the group continued making their way back to the town.

* * *

**A/N:**

Okay, that's all for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and please review if you can ^_^ Next time around, the trick-or-treaters start to suspect some things about Jack and Sally, the whole group finally makes it back to town, Flora returns (as does Marigold), and something fun happens backstage before the town meeting ;) I hope you all enjoy it!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	18. Behind the Scenes

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Here's the latest chapter : ) Thank you all so much again for being patient with me about updates. This has been a challenging year for me, and there's just a lot to take care of right now. But I'm glad to be posting another update, and I hope you'll all enjoy it ^_^ And please review if you can!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 18:**

**Behind the Scenes**

* * *

The trick-or-treaters, the pumpkin king, and the rag doll (as well as the walking bathtub full of bugs) were finally coming up to town now. Jack and Sally lingered behind the children a little as they strolled, and for the past few minutes there had just been silence among the party. But now, seeing that their destination was in sight and knowing he might not have a chance to talk alone with Sally again for a while, Jack made himself ask her a certain question before he lost the nerve or they lost their privacy.

"Sally? Back at the tree house, why did the children say Oogie Boogie was very upset with you? Did something happen?" Jack glanced at Sally, trying to seem casual but unable to help frowning slightly.

At his words, Sally clearly stiffened up a little. '_He was there long enough to hear_…' "Jack, it's nothing," she mumbled back. "I'll tell you later. I tricked Oogie, and he got upset with me. But I don't want to talk about it right now." She wrung her hands together.

Jack could see a little blush creeping into her features, though her look suggested unease rather than the usual shy embarrassment that tended to accompany her blushes. He frowned more. "Sally…" On instinct he reached up a hand toward her, intending to place it on her shoulder.

Sally saw his movement out of the corner of her eye and flinched slightly, unable to help it. She quickened her pace to move a little ahead of him—still easily able to talk privately but slightly more difficult to touch for the moment. She cleared her throat and changed the subject to get his mind (and her own mind) off of Oogie Boogie. "Jack, maybe you should worry more about how you're going to explain all of these bugs to everyone in town, or how you're going to explain your trips to Valentine Town to them." She glanced back at him.

Jack blinked. "You want me to tell them about Valentine Town too?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. You need to be honest with them about what's been going on in your life lately, Jack, and as quickly as possible—what better time than now and at a town meeting?" She smiled. "Express your restlessness to them, tell them how you've been exploring other places and maybe want to connect with the other holiday worlds to learn about them and not to steal from them. They have a right to know why you've been scarce ever since Christmas. Everything. And you have a right to be honest with them about how you feel." Sally's pace had slowed, and she was back beside Jack again.

Jack frowned slightly but nodded…and then had to add with a glance to her, "That means I'll also be telling them that you and I have become close." He blanched a little. "I won't explain details to them of course—those are private and we're still having some problems together, after all. But I have to let them know where you've been and how we feel about each other. I'm sorry if it upsets you—I'm the king, and you're right, I have to keep my citizens informed." He glanced down. "If you'd like, I'll take care of doing that entirely myself. I know you can be a little shy, and I don't want to upset you at all by making you go on stage with me, especially with everything else I've put you through lately."

Sally blushed a little. She hadn't thought much about the idea of actually being on stage and telling the whole town her private feelings—it was overwhelming enough thinking about what people would say once they found out in any way how she felt about Jack and how Jack felt about her. But to have Jack go up on stage under the bright lights to deliver the news alone? Sally shook her head. "I'd like to tell them with you, Jack," she finally replied. Then she took his hand in hers as they walked and glanced up at him. "I think it would be better coming from both of us."

Jack glanced to her in return, frowning a little. "I just don't want you to do anything that would be too, um…well…"

"Too much excitement for me?" Sally replied a bit dryly, frowning a little herself. "Jack we've been over this…"

"You're right, you're right…" Jack let out a deep sigh and shook his head, "I'm sorry. I seem to have this compulsion to be very protective of you. I really don't mean to make you feel like I don't trust you or like you can't handle things, I just…" He sighed softly. "I'm naturally protective over everybody because I love them and because I'm their King. But how I feel about you is different, Sally. You're a most precious person to me." He squeezed her hand. "I'll try to explain it better later. But for now, yes, of course, we'll tell them together. I wouldn't have it any other way as long as you'll be happy." He smiled warmly.

Sally smiled warmly too. "Jack…thank you." She moved closer to him, letting their arms rest side by side as they strolled, and squeezed his hand a little in return.

Meanwhile, by now the happy couple had a little audience of course.

Lock, Shock and Barrel weren't dumb, deaf, and blind exactly, after all. Not that the three children could hear everything that was said by Jack and Sally, but they could see the actions taking place between their King and the rag doll seamstress well enough.

Barrel and Lock just looked with wide eyes from the sight to each other and back to the sight and back to each other.

Shock just stared straight on at the couple with an interested scowl. "Okay, wait a minute!" The tub stopped walking forward, causing Jack and Sally to catch up pretty quickly before they stopped too and realized their whole little procession had been halted.

Shock eyed them warily from her place atop the covered cages in the tub.

Jack and Sally looked back at her with wide eyes, having almost forgotten about the nearby presences of the children.

Shock, finished looking them over, decided to be the first to say what was on the minds of the trick-or-treaters. "Oh, I knew the two of them were standing way too close when we went with the Mayor to rescue them from Oogie Boogie and shined the spotlight down there! And now you're both giggling and holding hands. What's next, are you gonna postpone Halloween preparations another two months and make us plan for a wedding instead?" She smirked.

Jack and Sally both blinked and then smiled a little funny and looked down.

"Shock…" Jack cleared his throat and started, doing his best to maintain some poise, "Yes, it's true that Sally and I have discovered that we have a…very deep mutual friendship, and we've been waiting for the right time to express the truth about it to everyone. We'll be letting them all know about the situation at the town meeting as soon as the bug problem is taken care of." Jack felt very awkward, but he also knew this was good practice, only having to tell three people about their feelings. And these children were three of his harshest critics, so they would certainly respond the worst of anybody, and if he and Sally could weather that kind of reaction then they could whether any kind of reaction. Jack was also very interested to see what form their harsh reaction might take.

Shock rolled her eyes at him. "Hey, if you want to wait to tell the town in some big public moment that you've finally cracked and decided not to be Halloween's most eligible bachelor anymore, that's fine. But you should have just told us earlier that Sally was your girlfriend, now, Jack. Back at the tree house, we would have let her go before with our apologies and a basket of rotten fruits! Sheesh, we're crafty, not stupid!" She put her hands on her hips.

Sally's smile couldn't help but pick up a little on one side, and she giggled to herself. "Girlfriend…" The word had never occurred to her before.

Jack blanched a little and continued addressing the children with a humble smile. "Shock, the situation is a little more complicated than that. We've only had a few days together. And we've decided to keep details about anything to ourselves."

Sally nodded to Shock, still smiling quite a bit.

Shock didn't seem satisfied by the evasive quality of Jack's response though. Actually she seemed even more surprised and then intrigued. "A few days together, huh? So I take it you've been harboring our little fugitive Sally ever since Christmas." She smirked. "Jack, I didn't know you had it in you, I'd practically expect something that juicy from Oogie Boogie."

"Wait a minute…" Lock started, glancing to Shock then Barrel, "So you're saying that Jack and Sally have been together all this time? Like for days?"

"All alone locked up in Jack's house without any contact at all until now?" Barrel added, looking equally surprised.

Then both boys turned to Jack with devilish grins. "All right, Jack, way to go!" they announce at once!

"Yeah!" Barrel cheered with a lick of his lollipop. "You always turn down the witches and Under Sea Gal when they ask you out—we just figured you didn't have it in you to get a girl!"

"Yeah, and definitely not the only woman in town who isn't covered in wrinkles and warts or who isn't full of scales and seaweed or who isn't, you know…Shock." Lock gestured to her with his pitchfork, stifling a laugh.

"Oh ha ha, like you're such a prize!" Shock pulled down his devil mask and snapped it against his face.

"Ow!" Lock cried out. He lifted up his mask and rubbed his cheek.

Then Shock turned around and gave Barrel a conk on the head.

"Hey!" he called out, rubbing his head, "What was that for?"

"Oh, you were bound to say something stupid too, and I have better things to do than to wait around for you to do it!" Shock stuck her tongue out at him.

Meanwhile, at this point, Jack just sighed deeply and rolled his eyes. He glanced to Sally. "Just a moment Sally, I'll get them to stop." Then he looked to the children and a scowl came to his face as he clearly prepared to scare them into submission again.

Sally put a hand on his shoulder though, causing Jack to pause and blink and turn to her again with his normal looking face and an eyebrow raised.

"Jack," Sally started with a little smile, "Not that your scary faces aren't very terrifying, but weren't you just talking to them about love in the tree house? There are other ways to get them to stop when they're misbehaving. May I try?" She smiled hopefully.

Jack blinked but then nodded. "Oh, um, of course, Sally." He stepped aside and gestured forward with a smile.

"Thank you, Jack." Sally went forward to the children. They were just whacking each other and pinching each other and calling each other random insulting names. Sally could see how it could annoy Jack sometimes—he was a very organized and punctual man, and this behavior did ring of wasteful nonsense. But there was nothing dangerous here and nothing much she couldn't fix just as easily as he could. The kids right now reminded her of the Doctor and Igor actually—they could get into the silliest fights sometimes. _'It's a good thing those two do have Jewel—the Doctor needs somebody around to care about him and Igor even if that person can't be me._' Then Sally walked right into the middle of the three children, turned around, and held Shock by the collar with one hand and Lock and Barrel by the collar with the other.

"Hey!" all three of the kids yelled at once.

Sally just smiled down at them. "Lock, Shock, Barrel, we were all having a talk about something, remember? Jack and I and our new relationship. And we don't have much time considering the bug problem and the town meeting, so maybe you three could take a deep breath and calm down and go back to paying attention now?"

The three children still looked a little perturbed but then all three of them finally just sighed.

"Fine…"

"Okay…"

"Whatever…" Shock rolled her eyes. "Does this mean that you're going to be Pumpkin Queen now and boss us around along with Jack? Because if I have double royalty to serve from now on, I wanna demand some concessions for my allegiance."

Sally did her best not to smile too much at Shock's reply (or to blush too much at it). She finally released the children. "Oh, I'm no Queen, Shock," she replied modestly. "But if you're worried about having to listen to me too, all I could offer you in return is to repair your witches costume whenever you need it."

Shock just sighed but at least shrugged and nodded. "Well, it's a start."

Sally laughed softly, unable to help herself.

Jack came forward now, his gaze looking intrigued. '_How…clever_.' Jack smiled—he loved that word to describe Sally. It fit her so perfectly. She had this delicate blend of intelligence and creativity that always surprised him. He looked to her. "Thank you, Sally." He gave her a small bow. Then he straightened up and looked back to the children. "Now then, where were we…"

"You were going to explain to us how you've spent almost the past week living all alone with a woman!" Lock suggested with a grin.

Jack cleared his throat, blanching a little. "Y-Yes, well, of course Sally needed a place to stay after choosing to leave the Doctor's manor. And I care for her, so naturally I found her room with me."

Shock rolled her eyes and then sighed at the Pumpkin King and his 'special friend'. "Let's just cut to the chase and save some time, shall we? She's not our Queen but you two are more than friends—so what are you exactly? Did I get it right with her being your girlfriend, Jack?"

Jack and Sally both blinked and looked to each other with a touch of uncertainty. Jack looked back to Shock. "Oh, well…Shock, we'd rather just say that we've discovered we have a deep friendship that's become a very affectionate and romantic relationship together, I think. You see, it's…a little complicated."

"We just have some things to talk about," Sally added softly.

Jack nodded. "Yes. Some things have happened over the last few days, and we're sort of in an unusual place at the moment."

Barrel licked his lollipop. "You goofed things up with her, didn't you, Jack?"

Jack blinked and then scowled and pouted a little. "N-No, I didn't! I…well…it's just—"

"Oh please." Shock rolled her eyes. "We can always tell when you're lying to us. You totally did mess it up after only half a week—way to go, Pumpkin King."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's not—and how do you even know I'm the one who messed things up?"

"Jack…" Sally pouted at him.

Jack blinked and looked to her again. "Sally, I don't mean it like that. I just mean, well…well, why would it _automatically_ have to be me? They don't even know anything about how we are together yet." He frowned and rubbed the back of his neck, looking down. "Is it really that obvious that I'd be the one to mess up?"

Lock rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Jack, Sally's like four times smarter than you, plus _she_ isn't the one who made the mistake of trying to turn Halloween into Christmas or Christmas into Halloween or whatever nutty thing we've been helping you with for the last two months!" He joined with his two friends in some laughter.

Jack just let out a very deep sigh and put a hand to his head. "No one is ever going to let me live down the Christmas thing, are they, Sally?"

Sally smiled, her tone gentle. "It's okay, Jack. It may have been a little wrong, but your Christmas was also sort of fun. I liked it, and I know others did too." She looked to the kids with a soft smile. "Maybe Jack and I have both made some mistakes. The point is, it's only been a few days. We need some time before we can decide what we are officially to each other. All you need to know is that Jack cares for me and that I care for Jack very, very much…" Then she shyly leaned over and kissed Jack on the cheek.

The Pumpkin King's eye sockets went wide and a small smile came to his bony lips.

The three kids blinked in surprise. And then they just laughed and laughed and laughed some more.

"O-Oh, that's it," Shock managed to get out between tears, "We need to get to town hall now—I can't wait to see them announce this." She turned forward, gave a loud whistle, and the bathtub started to depart.

"Yeah," Lock nodded as he resumed walking alongside the tub, "Oh boy, Barrel, how much Halloween candy you want to bet we end up with a riot on our hands when the witches and Undersea gal see Jack's taken!"

Barrel chuckled, likewise walking alongside the tub again too. "I just want to see Jack explaining to the Doctor that Sally's going to be cooking and cleaning at _his_ house from now on!"

The children laughed more.

Jack and Sally just watched them proceeding forward.

Sally half smiled. "Well…that didn't go too horribly, right, Jack?" She glanced at him and gave a little shrug. "Of anybody, the three of them were probably going to have the most to say about us…except for maybe the Doctor." She looked down.

"And except for my little female fan club…" Jack added with a sigh, looking down as well. He shook his head and mumbled to himself. "I will never understand what women keep trying to see in me."

Sally blinked and looked to him with an eyebrow raised. "Jack, be serious."

"I am being serious." Jack smiled at her and shrugged. "I know why you like me, of course—we're meant to be together. But why most women always seem to like me is something that I'll never understand at all. I'm just a lanky skeleton who keeps odd hours and has strange hobbies and who likes to sing and on occasion sets himself on fire with a jack-o-lantern on his head. I don't know why any woman would find all of that so alluring. Sometimes I'm even surprised to think of you putting up with me—I really have made a mess of our relationship so far, Sally." His gaze became more serious. "Once all of this bug business is taken care of, I'll do everything I can to explain myself and make it up to you, Sally, I promise." He smiled again. "Now come on, let's go join the children." He took her hand and led her onward.

As they proceeded forward, Sally just looked at him with a pout and an eyebrow raised. Such a strange thing to say about himself regarding the other women… Could he really not see how they could all fall for him? The idea made her remember Jack's other strange statement from the other day about how she was the only woman he had ever kissed. Sally matched pace with Jack and squeezed his hand. "I know, Jack, we'll get to talk soon, and I'm sure it'll make us both feel better. But just so you know for now…of everything that goes on in our world, all of the illogical things and the impossible things and the psychotic things, to me all the women doting on you always made the most sense. You're more likeable than you realize."

Jack glanced at her with an eyebrow raised but Sally just smiled in a secret way, clearly not ready to say more. Besides which, there really wasn't much time at the moment.

They had just entered the town now. It wasn't far to the town hall.

"Lock, Shock, Barrel," Jack called out to the three children. "All of you and that tub are going to go into the back entrance of town hall with me and Sally—no shenanigans or tricks, please. All right?" His tone was firm but fair.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, you got it," Shock called back lazily, giving another whistle to send the tub in the direction of the back entrance.

Jack glanced to Sally again. "It's better that we're not seen until we're on the stage—it'll raise too many questions, about us and about the bugs. I'll start speaking first on stage to break the ice and then we'll get to the trick-or-treaters when I give you the queue, all right?"

Sally nodded. "All right, Jack. You're the expert. Besides, I'd rather just listen than speak on stage at first anyway." She blushed a little, looking down. "You were right—I can be a little shy. I don't like crowds very much."

Jack smiled and squeezed her hand. "Well, then it's a good thing you'll have me there to hold your hand and to help you feel better and to remind you that everything's going to be okay when it is time for you to speak to everyone."

Sally smiled more and nuzzled near his shoulder a little. "Silly skeleton…you always know just what to say."

Jack smiled warmly and Sally smiled peacefully as they went around the back of the lit up and clearly packed town hall just behind Lock, Shock, Barrel and the bath tub.

(And, meanwhile, someone with a keen sense for love was following in their wake.)

(And, meanwhile, someone with a keen sense of bureaucracy was following in hers…)

* * *

In the back of town hall several minutes later, Sally and the children were waiting patiently while Jack went up to the stage between the backdrop curtain and the front curtain, certain that there he would find…

"Mayor!" Jack called out happily (but quietly so as not to startle any of the seated citizens out front) as he suddenly spotted the familiar stout figure. Though it had only been a few days, it felt to Jack like ages since he had seen and talked to the Mayor. So much had happened lately, after all.

"Jack!" The Mayor's worrisome face (which had been switched on for a good two days now) instantly whipped around to his smiling one. He waddled forward. "Oh Jack, there you are, and you're well, and you're here! It's so good to see you!" He breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Oh Jack, we've all be so worried about you, about Sally, about Jewel, about just about everything, but it's so wonderful that you're feeling better. And you've even rescued Jewel and Sally I hear too! Jewel told us all about your daring escapade to save her from Oogie's gorge, and we couldn't be more proud of you, Jack. Dr. Finkelstein even wants to thank you personally!" The Mayor took Jack's hand and shook it enthusiastically.

Jack just smiled warmly and he shook the Mayor's hand in return. "Yes, I'm happy to help, and everyone's quite welcome. And it's very good to see you too, Mayor."

Though Jack, prone to his brooding ways, did not often admit it to himself, he considered the Mayor his best friend just shy of Zero and Sally. The Mayor always expressed concern for him not just as King but on a personal level too, he worked very hard with Jack to make Halloween a success every year, and no matter what stunts Jack pulled or what requests he made, the Mayor always did his best to support Jack and always had the greatest faith in him. Jack may have hesitated from expressing all of his doubts and personal problems to the Mayor just because he knew the Mayor did rely on him quite a bit as a source of stability in the town, but they did still have a personal relationship, and Jack knew he had been taking that relationship for granted lately. He stopped shaking the Mayor's hand now and looked down at him with a smile.

The Mayor just smiled back up at him. "So, Jack, I take it this meeting is to return Sally safely home and to make some announcements about Halloween?"

Jack let out a small sigh. He hated that matters had to be more complicated than the Mayor's hopeful suggestion. He smiled though, trying to be encouraging just the same. "Yes, Mayor, Sally is safe and…has returned to all of us." He cleared his throat a little. "And don't worry, some of the time I've been spending off on my own I did dedicate to Halloween plans, and I can't wait to go over what I've come up with so far with you."

The Mayor practically beamed. "Ah, Jack, that's wonderful! I'm sure if we work together we'll get all caught up in no time and have the most horrible Halloween ever!"

Jack nodded. "I have no doubt, Mayor, not one at all." He smiled. But then Jack had to sigh and let his smile fall just a little bit. "But, unfortunately, all of that good news is not the only reason I wanted to call a town meeting."

The Mayor hesitated. "It's not?" He face went to worrisome again. "Jack, please, no more new holidays if that's what this is about—I can't handle you blowing up to smithereens again—you know how I get under pressure."

Jack smiled a little more and shook his head. "No more new holidays, I promise. At least, no more _stealing_ new holidays." He bent down a little, looking at the Mayor's eyes. "We are Halloween Town and Halloween is going to remain the only holiday we create and are in charge of." He straightened back up again. "That being said though, Mayor, we now know there are other holidays. And if possible I would like us to continue learning about them even though Halloween will be our central focus again. I'll speak more about it during the meeting if there's time—do you approve?"

The Mayor considered. "Well…I suppose, Jack. Is that what you've been doing for the last few days—trying to see about the other holidays?"

Jack shook his head. "Not exactly. Although I've been thinking about them. But Mayor, besides the new holidays, I have some things to say to everyone about my actions and my whereabouts lately and about Christmas, and then we have a new problem. A 'bug' problem." Jack frowned a little. "And we'll really need everyone's help to think up a way to fix this one." Jack then proceeded to explain to the Mayor about the trick-or-treaters and the bugs.

* * *

Behind the stage, meanwhile, Sally was still waiting with the children and their buggy bathtub.

The trick-or-treaters were just going through their normal motions of fighting and bothering each other while Sally sat on a crate and watched them with a small smile. _'They're sort of sweet sometimes even if they could use some better manners._' Sally let herself daydream for a moment about how nicely she and Jack could raise their own children. She imagined the two of them working very closely together, and their little skeleton or rag dolls snuggling close with both of them in happiness. And she imagined that every time she told Jack she was going to have another baby, he would get the shyest look on his face at first but then smile in a special way and kiss her softly. And then they could celebrate the good news in some place private.

Sally sighed softly to herself, smiling more. '_Why is it so hard to stay mad at him?'_

Just then a familiar figure came in through the back stage door.

"Hello? Jack, Sally—are either one of you here?" called a woman's delicate voice.

Sally blinked and then stood up. She frowned a little. '_Flora. What's she doing here? Doesn't she have her own Town full of hearts and love and lots of eligible subjects to go back to?'_ Sally did not want to see Queen Flora, but she tried to be calm and remember that she was just being a little jealous and that there was a diplomatic dimension to this situation too. She straightened her dress and decided to approach the Heart Queen.

"Hey, who's that?" Shock suddenly asked with interest, pausing in her current bopping of Lock on the head with her witch's broom.

"She looks weird—ugh, and she smells like flowers! _Fresh ones!"_ Lock put down his pitchfork (which he had been about to shove into Barrel's back) and made a gagging action.

"And she's wearing _pink!_" Barrel cringed, moving away from Shock's witch's hat which he had been about to snatch.

"Oh, you have children here in your world—wonderful!" Flora announced in a pleased tone. She clasped her hands together as she approached in her red silk robes, prism eyes flashing and silvery hair shimmering so much against the dull, dark Halloween colors of the town hall. She bent down to their level. "Hello there. It's a pleasure to meet you three. May I ask your names? And may I say that I love your costumes?"

Lock, Shock and Barrel perked up at the compliments and got into their usual straight row for introducing themselves. They each took off their masks as they said their names.

"Lock!"

"Shock!"

"Barrel!"

"We're Halloween's finest and only trick-or-treaters!" Shock announced proudly. "And just who the heck might you be?" She eyed the rosy colored woman curiously. "And what's with the 'pretty in red' getup?"

Flora's grin picked up on one side, and she straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, I like you. Very to the point." Her eyes glowed a little more and she cleared her throat. "I'm from one of the other holiday worlds—the door with the heart—and I'm here to see Jack Skellington."

Shock blinked at that answer. And then she sighed and put her head in her hand, rolling her eyes. "Oh boy, Jack really, really, really, really did goof, didn't he, Sally?" She looked behind Flora to the rag doll.

Sally swallowed and finally came forward. "Shock, that's enough." She did her best to make eye contact with Flora and to smile. "Hello. I thought you had gone home, but if you're having trouble finding your way I'd be happy to lead you back there. I'm sure they miss you very much in your world and would like you back to stay for a while." She was looking down by now with a small pout.

Flora blinked, then frowned a bit. "Oh dear, dear…" '_The jealousy coming off of her is so strong she's practically a solid green to me.' _"I'm sorry if I'm intruding—someone was definitely talking about love earlier, I believe it was Jack. And I sort of have a sixth sense for that word. Not to mention I have the most uncanny feeling that I have work to be done here about something besides you two." She glanced around curiously. "Anyway, that's why I'm here now—just following the trail of love." She looked back to Sally and smiled.

Sally raised an eyebrow in confusion for a moment, but then she blinked in realization. '_Of course. Jack was talking about loving Lock, Shock and Barrel before._' "Oh," Sally said simply with a shrug, "Jack was just telling some of his other citizens how much he cares for them, that must have been what you sensed. It's not a big deal. Either way, though, he's busy right now. But you can talk to him later I guess if you want. I wouldn't want to interfere in official royal holiday business, after all." She crossed her arms over her chest, her look a little dull.

"Actually , I wouldn't mind having a word with you as long as we have a moment," Flora suggested carefully.

Sally's frown showed she clearly did not like the idea. But she would not be rude, and she would not be immature about this situation. She nodded. "If you want to, that's okay."

"Let me guess," Shock announced, stepping between them and to look up to Sally, "you want the three of us to disappear so you two can have some big talk, huh?"

Sally let out a small sigh. She looked down to Shock and tried to smile. "Shock, the town meeting is going to start soon anyway. You can probably go over to Jack and the Mayor now and ask about where they want your bathtub placed for the announcement."

Shock sighed but then just rolled her eyes and nodded. "Oh all right, but only because after you two talk I can't wait to see how Jack gets out of this one! Lock, Barrel!" She clapped her hands together. "Let's go!"

The two boys grinned at more of look at Flora and then broke into chuckles as they hopped onto the edges of the tub to sit. Shock hopped on top of the covered crates again and whistled. The tub came to life once more and carried the whole little party onto the stage and past the backdrop curtain, though before they got out earshot, Shock was heard to laugh to herself one more time and exclaim, "Jack is in soooo much trouble! Ha!"

Flora smiled as she watched them disappear. Then she glanced back at Sally. "Are they your children, Sally? Or your brothers and sisters?"

Sally blinked and blushed darkly. "No, of course not!" She took a breath and tried to sound a little less shocked as she added, "I don't have any children—Jack's the only man I've ever cared about, and we've never…." She blushed again, then swallowed and continued. "And I don't have any brothers and sisters…I couldn't. I was built in a laboratory, sewn together out of scraps of cloth and filled with old leaves."

"Oh." Flora glanced to the side awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I was just curious, but I didn't mean to pry. It was very sweet of them to give me so much attention." Flora sighed. "I hear Jack always gets a lot of attention too. It must be the same for all the holiday leaders. I'm fairly certain I have it the worst of anybody though." Flora smiled a little to herself and shook her head. "Especially with romantic attention, or at least with people associating me with romantic attention…" she added with a slight rosy blush.

"Yes, I'm sure it must be very difficult for you having people always admire and feel attracted to you. And I'm sure it must have been very difficult for you having a fearsome King fall into your world and having him fall in love with you at first sight for a little while." The words left Sally softly, and then she couldn't help swiftly moving away from Flora and sitting down on her crate again.

Flora instantly approached her. "Sally, that is not what happened." She shook her head and took a seat on a crate beside her.

Sally shrugged, still pouting. "Why not? You're a Queen, you're pretty, you're powerful, you're very new and exciting. And don't let Jack fool you with that 'But she's alive!' comment he made before." Sally smiled a little tensely to herself and shook her head. "He loves living things more than he lets on, believe me—anything new or different is exactly what he loves the most."

There was quiet for a moment.

Then Flora sighed softly. "I can't make people who have already found their true loves feel love for me, by accident or by design, Sally. Not that I would ever intentionally make anyone feel love for me—that would be a horrible abuse of my powers, like Jack using his frightfulness to cause harm to others instead of just to give a good scare, or like Santa using his jolliness to force people to feel happiness and goodwill instead of giving them reasons why they should have happiness and goodwill through his gift-giving. But none of that matters anyway—like I said, even if I wanted to, I can never make people who have found their true loves feel love for me." She looked at Sally very seriously.

Sally's eyes grew wide. She felt warm all over. "You think I'm Jack's…"

Flora smiled. "You know the answer to that better than I do, Sally. But if it gives you some more confidence, yes, the Heart Queen, mistress of all love and affection, thinks that you are Jack Skellington's true love."

Sally's smile beamed a little.

Flora smiled happily. She explained some more. "Sometimes when I'm very happy or excited or curious, I can't control that attractive quality I give off. And unfortunately in my case it does have a habit of making any nearby people, particularly men, very fond of me. When Jack first came to my town, I wanted to know why he was there, but he was shy about telling me. So in my eagerness I sort of gave off a bit of my 'charm' to get what I wanted out of him—an answer." She giggled softly to herself and shook her head. "Trying to charm Jack Skellington…. My influence usually finds at least some foothold in a person—with him though, all of my influence just hit a wall of pure, solid, lovely emotion. I have never been so entirely repelled. He didn't even blink. He cared for you so much that nothing I could say or do mattered. It was so refreshing." She sighed in happiness, smiling more to herself.

Sally raised an eyebrow (trying to control her very pleased smile at this information for the moment). "Refreshing? But why?"

Flora shrugged. "I told you, Sally, I have the same problem Jack does about people having a natural attraction to me because I'm the Queen and because I'm so connected with the forces of love. At the very least, if I really want it, I always get my way with people about issues because of my charm. But not with Jack, not at all. I could just be friends with Jack, and he could like me all on his own without any influence from me." She looked at Sally with a hopeful smile. "I haven't visited other holiday worlds before even though I've known about the holiday forest for some time. But I'm hoping it's not just Jack—I'm hoping my charm will be less effective on many people in the other worlds., especially those who have found their true loves. I'd love to make friends who just like me because they want to and not because I ever made them feel like they had to or because I'm a Queen." Flora's smile fell a little. "Otherwise, all I've got besides Jack are the couples in my world who have already found their true loves…but I don't really spend too much time with any of them. It's a little lonely being a third wheel, and like I said people still get a little intimidated about the whole 'Queen' thing. Queen Cupidity Amora Flora—such an awful mouthful." She laughed a little and rolled her eyes. "It took me centuries to just get them to call me Flora."

Sally just looked at her with an eyebrow raised and a small warm smile growing on her features..

Flora's smile fell a little, and her tone became sincere again. "Sally, I did not mean to cause any problems between you and Jack. Jack seemed very shy about his feelings for you at first—you should talk to him about it, but suffice it to say he lacked confidence that he could express his emotions to you properly. Those candies I gave him, under normal circumstances, would have just opened up his subconscious a little every time he slept until he had finally connected with his truest feelings and the best way to show you his affections and to be a good suitor for you. But I didn't consider how the candies might affect someone who was dead. And I also failed to consider how much Jack's romantic tendencies might be suppressed, and how that fact might affect the potion. I was irresponsible and interfered where I shouldn't have, and I'm to blame for the consequences."

Sally frowned a little. "But you meant well, you were just trying to help. And you didn't cause all the problems, really. Part of it has just been Jack and I having trouble on our own."

Flora smiled a touch sheepishly. "Thank you, Sally. And I know, I suppose what I did might not seem like as big of a mistake as, say, nearly destroying Christmas. But I still contributed to some romantic problems, and I must make things right as best I can. I know you're still upset with Jack for some things, but please keep in mind that everything he did he did out of his own insecurity, shyness, and out of his deep desire to care for you as best he could. That's all I ask…and that perhaps you'll allow me to visit from time to time to talk to Jack? Like I said, I don't have many friends who just like me for me." She looked down a little sheepishly. "And if I start to accidentally charm you right now just to get you to forgive me, I'll see it and I'll stop—but I'm really hoping that won't be the case and that I'm right about things being easier for me with people in other worlds." She smiled eagerly.

Sally considered, and while she felt moved by Flora's words, at the same time she still felt herself having the will to remain cross with her just as easily as she could forgive her and be friends with her. Sally smiled. "I think you are right, Flora. I don't feel charmed at all. But I do feel happy that you talked to me."

Flora's smile beamed again.

Sally let out a sigh and moved a little closer to her. "I understand how you feel about Jack. Jack's always been my dearest and only friend here. I was never able to get out of the lab much, and I'm not very scary…but he always liked me and smiled at me and talked to me. All of the other women fell for the King, but I fell for Jack. But I almost lost him during Christmas…" Sally frowned, looking down, "I was just afraid of almost losing him again. I didn't think holiday worlds would have Queens instead of Kings, but Jack found the one that did and he found you…and he does like different things a lot."

"He only found me because he was so overwhelmed by finding you," Flora assured kindly.

Sally beamed a little.

Then Flora laughed warmly and added, "And, Sally, really—a King for Valentine's Day? Come now, you know how much longer it must have taken Jack to realize his feelings than it took you to realize yours. I'm not saying there aren't men who are very sensitive and emotionally understanding—there are, and quite a few of them live in my world. I'm just saying that a little women's intuition never hurt with love." She winked.

Sally laughed softly and then smiled at Flora with interest. "You really get to be Queen of your own world? It must be fascinating. And I think Valentine Town must be very pretty. Jack brought me some of your roses."

Flora nodded and smiled humbly. "Oh, being Queen does have its perks, I suppose—a lot of creative freedom, for starters. You should come visit me sometime. And yes, Valentine's Town really is beautiful. Do you have chocolate here? Most of our desserts in Valentine Town are made of chocolate—milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, swiss chocolate, german chocolate…" She let out a content sigh. "My idea—I adore chocolate. It's my favorite part of our holiday. We even have a lovely relaxation spa that specializes in chocolate treatments—we could spend the day there together if you'd like."

"Oh, I…really?" Sally nodded. "Yes, we have chocolate here sometimes, but…you'd want me to take a trip all by myself just to see you and spend time together." She raised an eyebrow.

Flora nodded in return. "Of course. The holiday leaders are probably going to start seeing each other more frequently now and even having some council meetings—we can't risk another holiday clashing fiasco in the future. But all of the other holiday leaders are Kings." She sighed. "And not that it isn't going to be fun for me locked up with six old coots from time to time trying to make sure I don't charm any of the unattached ones too much, but I wouldn't mind a nice day with another lady friend. Especially one who might be a Queen herself soon enough." Flora smiled more.

Sally blushed and looked down, grinning. "I-I don't know about that…" she mumbled, playing with her hair.

Flora giggled. "Either way, it would be nice to get together. The only other Queen-type I know is Mrs. Clause—Santa's wife. I don't think she goes out much, but we could invite her sometimes too if you'd like. We could even plan a visit to Christmas Town to formally greet her."

"I'd like that," Sally agreed with a nod. She looked to Flora again. "It might be fun to see another world…." She could almost understand Jack's eagerness for travelling now. To have an invitation before her to see an entirely new place, new people, a new culture…she would always come back to Halloween Town as her home, but still how fascinating! And maybe it really was time all of the holidays got to know each other.

"Wonderful!" Flora exclaimed happily. She stood up and clapped her hands together. "Shall we go tell Jack we're friends now then?" She hesitated for a moment. "We are friends now, right, Sally?"

Sally smiled and nodded, standing up too. "Yes. And we can tell him we're friends, Flora. But maybe not just now…" Sally's face became serious. "We're having a problem. We had a very bad person in our town for a while—the one who tried to hurt Santa and me too—and Jack had to destroy him before he did anything worse. But now there's a chance that he might not have been destroyed entirely."

Flora looked at Sally with concern.

"Um…excuse me? Ladies?" Jack Skellington now hesitantly shuffled forward and off of the curtained stage, looking to Sally and Flora. Needless to say, while the Mayor had been setting up some final preparations for the meeting, the trick-or-treaters had taken Jack aside and decided to inform him that his 'other girlfriend' was here.

Sally and Flora glanced back at him.

Flora smiled and little and gave him a small wave. "Hello again, Pumpkin King."

Sally smiled brightly and walked over to him. "Hello, dearest Jack." Then she wrapped her arms around him in a happy hug.

Jack's eye sockets went a little wide and his cheeks blanched a little. "I, um…h-hello." He melted a little into Sally's hug. "Erm…the, uh…oh, the Mayor has everything ready for us to proceed. I was hoping you would join the trick-or-treaters and I on stage, Sally. Oh, you can come too, Flora." Jack finally couldn't help chuckling a little. "Sally…what did I do to earn such a nice hug?"

Sally's squeezed him tightly once more and then pulled back and looked up into his eyes. "You may be able to charm other women, but you've never let yourself be charmed by one until me. That's all." Then she kissed him on his non-existent little nose and moved away from him with a giggle.

Jack just looked confused for a moment and then very shy. "Oh…all right." He smiled at the two girls and raised an eyebrow. "I take it that things are okay now between you two?"

Sally and Flora nodded.

Jack beamed at the news, his eye sockets bright. "Oh, splendid!"

"Jack! Jack? Where's Sally?" The Mayor came waddling down from the stage, his distressed face on again. "We have to open up the curtains in three minutes and start this meeting! I…" He blinked, the living, rosy-fleshed woman in red robes catching his eye as someone clearly unfamiliar and out of place. His worried face returned. "Oh no, someone's not coming here to steal our holiday, are they, Jack? Or did Oogie's boys kidnap her too?" He looked to his king .

Before Jack could respond though, Flora stepped forward, smiling warmly. "Oh, no, of course no one kidnapped me. I've come here willingly and peacefully. Now that your world has become acquainted with the holiday forest, we all thought, um…formal greetings were in order." She held out her hand, eyes flashing prisms just a little. _'Just enough to calm him down…_' "My name is…"

"Queen Cupidity Amora FLORA!" a certain Valentine assistant's voice suddenly called out, and then who should stomp into the backstage area of Town Hall but Marigold, her yellow robes a little tattered and cobweb covered, her red chestnut hair slightly mussed, and her blue eyes flashing behind her rosy half moon glasses.

Flora blinked and then turned to her fellow Valentine friend. "Mari?" She smiled. "You actually came all the way here to get me?"

Mari let out a deep, frustrated breath, still glaring over her glasses at the Heart Queen. "You ran off when we have exactly six weeks to pull off our holiday this year! _Six Weeks!_ We are the flagship holiday of each year, we kick things off for all of the other holidays and set the festive tone for the full holiday season, and we especially need this year to be spectacular after the Christmas fiasco, and you just RAN OFF!" She rolled her eyes and started to gesticulate and pace. "Do you have any idea of what I have been through trying to find you? I've crawled through graveyards and pumpkin patches, and I've been touched by spiders and bats, and there's been slime and grime, and I am personally making a significant withdrawal from the treasury when we get back and spending a week at the chocolate spa, and then maybe _you_ can be the one cutting thousands of doilies and sharpening hundreds of arrows and scrambling to choreograph the parade just right!"

Flora approached her, holding her hands up in a soothing gesture. "Marigold, please, calm down. I'm sorry I left, really, but I wasn't planning to stay here much longer, and I had a good reason."

"Matchmaking!" Mari stopped pacing and looked at her. She brought a hand to her temple. "And not even regulated matchmaking! I swear, you leaders, you have a talent for something and you just run with it obsessively or run off in a completely random and dangerous direction with it obsessively. Then you end up leaving all the stressful work to the bureaucrats!" She glanced around and her eyes caught sight of the Mayor. "Oh, please tell me this is Jack's political assistant."

Jack blinked and nodded. "Yes, this is our Mayor. But…"

Marigold came forward and her attention went right to the Mayor. "Marigold, Head Magistrate of Valentine Town." She nodded her head in introduction and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I ask you, does _yours_ do this kind of thing to you—constantly get caught up in his talents and his passions and leave you holding the bag about everything else and does yours even just run off sometimes like your holiday will just somehow magically manage to take care of itself?"

The Mayor had his worried face on, and naturally at this question that worried face remained. "Oh, er…I…" He glanced back and forth between Marigold and Jack in some distress.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Mayor?"

The Mayor looked at him once more and then looked back to Marigold. And seeing her stern look, suddenly his voice broke into a tone of full of panic and despair! "Oh constantly he does things like that to me, yes! I haven't even been sure of where he's been for the last week! He nearly sent me to a second grave with the Christmas fiasco! And now he's got an Oogie Boogie situation and who knows what else to announce, and I've been trying to keep things together, but the town's been so worried about him ever since Christmas, and we're now almost two months behind in Halloween planning! Do you really understand what that's like?" He moved close, clearly suddenly desperate in his hope that he had finally found a kindred spirit about the politics of holidays (and of wrangling holiday leaders).

Marigold pouted and patted him on the head. "Oh there, there, it's all right." She looked to Jack and Flora. "So help me you two, we are trying to be supportive, but whatever the situation is let's wrap it up so we can all get back to our jobs before this poor man and I go completely crazy trying to make things work all on our own."

The Mayor sighed and put a hand to his temple. He turned back to Jack and waddled closer to him. "Jack, I'm sorry, I know you don't mean to put me through all of this stress, but it does happen and especially lately. I've been trying to keep the town calm and together, and working on my own is scaring me a lot less than usual, but there's so much on everyone's minds that I can't possibly address it all. Everyone wants to know if you're all right, everyone wants to know what you're doing, everyone wants to know what happened to Sally, everyone wants to know how things might change now that there's no Oogie Boogie, everyone wants to know if you're all right about Christmas now, everyone wants to know how the Halloween plans are going." He looked up at the Pumpkin King (who had just been listening this whole time with wide eye sockets). "Jack, I mean it, I really am only an elected official here, and these people need their king—I can't make all of these decisions by myself. Some of them, yes, because I know you're busy, but not all of them."

Jack remained frozen in surprise for a moment longer. But then finally he knelt down and put a hand on the Mayor's shoulder. He looked into his eyes. "Mayor, please do not apologize. Everything you said is absolutely right. It hasn't been fair of me to put so much pressure on you lately to take care of things, and it's been inconsiderate of me not to worry about how all of that responsibility was affecting you." He smiled. "Mayor, you are the best town leader any holiday leader could ask for. And I promise you that I'm not going to leave you alone anymore like I've been doing lately. From now on there'll be regular input and active participation from me. But if I could have a day or two to myself here and there, when the holiday planning isn't at a crucial point, I'd appreciate it." He glanced back at Sally for a moment who was smiling sweetly down at him and the Mayor, and then looked to the Mayor again, smiling a little sheepishly. "I have every confidence in you to look to things on your own in that case. I just need time to think about things besides Halloween sometimes, that's all."

The Mayor let out such a deep sigh and then turned his smiling face back forward. "Jack, of course you can have a day or two to yourself sometimes. As long as you really won't run off anymore or brood alone for weeks at a time, that's more than fair to ask." He cleared his throat. "And I promise to try resolving little things myself from now on so that you don't feel overwhelmed. We're just so glad to have you back and safe, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Thank you, Mayor. I'm glad to be back with all of our citizens and you as well. You're one of my best friends, after all, and I'm so glad we could work out a good arrangement together for handling the town."

The Mayor's happy face practically beamed. "Really, one of your best friends? Well…how very kind of you to say, Jack. Thank you."

Jack stood up and nodded in return, his smile and gaze warm.

Meanwhile, Marigold and Flora had been standing side by side watching the scene. Flora smiled and whispered to her friend. "See, everything here is slowly starting to work out for the best."

Marigold's look and tone went a little dry. "Very nice. You still owe me an apology, you know."

Flora nodded and looked at her with a warm smile. Then she gave her a big hug from the side. "Of course I do. I know, I know, I'm impulsive and whimsical to a fault, and I'm sorry. And you are the best assistant I could ask for. And it would serve me right if the next time I get carried away you didn't go to the trouble of getting me back on track." She pulled back with a smile.

Marigold remained frowning for a moment but then she had to smile. She looked to her Queen. "Apology accepted." She adjusted her glasses. "And incidentally are we almost done here? We can spare a little more time, but then we really need to get back to Valentine Town to keep up with our schedule."

Flora nodded. "Of course. I should just have to stay here a little longer to tie up a few loose matchmaking ends." Her smile picked up on one side. "And I think it might also be nice if I found a way to make things up to you about today."

Marigold raised an eyebrow, looking a touch wary.

"Oh and forgive me, where are my manners?" Suddenly the Mayor approached the two Valentine women. He smiled and bowed to Marigold first. "Magistrate…Marigold, was it? Welcome to our town, it's always nice to have visitors." He looked to Flora and bowed again. "And Queen Flora, to have you here thanks to Jack is an honor." He glanced to the Pumpkin King. "You certainly do attract the ladies, don't you, Jack?"

Jack blinked and looked to Sally in a touch of embarrassment. "Um, I didn't tell him about the…the other thing we wanted to announce besides the bugs, I just told him we'd have one more thing to add after that to everyone. I thought it'd be better as a surprise."

Sally nodded in understanding. "Of course, Jack. First thing's first anyway, and it'll be nice to end on happy news." She moved closer to him.

Flora, meanwhile, just chuckled at the Mayor's presumption. "Oh, no, no, I assure you, Mayor, I am just Jack's friend and I'm here in a strictly professional capacity, and the same goes for Marigold. And we would be happy to assist you with your problem if we can. What does your problem seem to be exactly anyway? Earlier, Sally was telling me something about a bad citizen Jack had defeated…"

Jack sighed and stepped forward. "Oogie Boogie. He was a burlap sack monster filled with bugs. I thought he was gone but some of the bugs seem to be coming back from his lair." He shrugged. "It's very hard for anyone to really 'die' here since we're all dead anyway. It's a bit of an unusual situation. Actually, if you go out on that stage you'll see in the audience everything from someone with an axe in their head to someone with a face they can tear off of themselves to someone whose flesh is constantly melting off of them—I'd brace yourself, it might be a lot to take in for someone who's alive." He shrugged, smiling a little sheepishly.

Both Flora and Marigold just looked back at him in a sort of fascinated perplexity.

Then Flora smiled brightly. "Oh Jack, this is truly a fascinating world you've got here." She clapped her hands together. "You must promise me an invitation for Halloween—an invitation for all of the leaders and their assistants too! I thought my walk over here was fun enough with all those carved pumpkins and the big curly hills and the surreal architecture, but your citizens—now I must meet the rest of them!" She raised an eyebrow at him, and her smile picked up on one side. "Why in the world would you want to steal another holiday, Jack—I know things can get repetitive sometimes, but you clearly have the most exciting holiday of all seven on your hands."

Jack grinned in a touch of pride. "I guess I never thought about it like that." He sighed and then gestured forward. "If you really would like to meet everyone, then please do join us on stage, Flora. And you too, Marigold."

Flora gave a small bow. "Thank you, Jack."

Marigold nodded with a smile. "Thank you. I probably should, at least just to keep an eye on a certain Queen's whereabouts."

Flora nodded. "Excellent! Well, why don't we all get ready to take our places on stage then for the Town Meeting to begin? I've been back here for a little while now talking to Sally, so I'm pretty familiar with the layout. But Mayor, why don't you show Marigold around a little?" And then before her Magistrate could protest, Flora had grabbed her by a fold of her robe and moved her right alongside the Mayor.

"Oh!" The Mayor smiled at Marigold. "Well, of course, I'd be happy to show you around and work out the best place for you to stand on the stage. Right this way, the Mayor gestured forward and then proceeded to waddle back up onto the stage.

Marigold, meanwhile, blushed and gave Flora a chastising look over her shoulder before just sighing and shaking her head and heading after the Mayor. "Thank you, Mayor. That would be very…horrible of you? Is that the word? I'm still trying to pick up the lingo here."

The Mayor nodded. "Oh yes, we love horrible things here." The two reached the stage landing and then disappeared among the back curtains on the stage.

Jack and Sally watched them go.

Then Flora giggled to herself and climbed onto the stage too. "I…think I'll find those three little Halloween children and make sure they're ready and up to their best behavior." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled in a special way at the happy couple. "You two join all of us whenever you're ready." She winked and then departed among the curtains as well.

Jack just looked toward the curtain where everyone had disappeared behind and smiled. "Isn't this nice—everything's working out, and the Mayor even made a new friend."

Sally giggled, hands clasped together in front of herself. "I think they could be quite _dear_ friends actually."

Jack blinked and raised an eyebrow at her.

Sally just sighed and smiled warmly at him. "Silly skeleton man…. My dearest Jack." She took his hand and laced her fingers with his. "Come on, let's go fix Halloween Town together."

Jack smiled warmly back and squeezed her hand too. "Yes, we should probably take care of that now."

They walked slowly toward the stage together.

"You know, when I met Flora, one of my first thoughts was that I hoped you two could be friends," Jack suddenly said quietly, looking forward. "I love that you and I have always been friends, but I never saw you spend much time with the other women around here, and so I thought it would be nice if you could have a female friend to spend time with. I'm very glad you're friends now, and I really do hope you'll spend time together sometimes, with or without me along."

Sally's grin picked up a little on one side, and she couldn't help herself as she added, "Even if that means sometimes I'll be going without you to Valentine Town where all those nice Valentine men are who might like a new, spunky, passionate rag doll girl being presented to them by their Queen?" She glanced at Jack out of the corner of her eye.

Jack looked a little distressed for a moment, to say the least. But he swallowed and replied simply, "You have freedom now, Sally. You can go wherever you want, in Halloween town or out of it, and with whomever you want. And I trust you." He glanced at her. "Though I must admit I do hope you'll be telling any new suitors you find that…that your heart belongs to another." He squeezed her hand a little.

Sally smiled fully and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Of course. Just like how your heart belongs to me. I'm sorry if I was jealous before, Jack. I know you'd never betray me like that, with another woman. I trust you too."

Jack leaned against her a little as they ascended to the stage. He paused them and turned to her, his tone soft and sincere. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about things from the start, Sally. I've been very scared of losing you. But I feel much better now."

Sally grinned. "I thought the Pumpkin King didn't get scared?"

Jack grinned a little too. "Well, I have to keep up that rumor for the public…but just between you and me, he does get scared sometimes. But only for the sake of the people he cares for most."

They stood on the stage in quiet for a moment alone, looking to each other, still holding hands.

"Sally, when this is over, please come back to the house with me," Jack asked gently and with hope. "Even though we made up, I still have to tell you some things properly. You see, I…I…"

It was very quiet here, still in the back, behind the thick backdrop curtains, all alone. And the atmosphere was so wonderfully dark with only the pales light glinting off of Jack's white skull and Sally's blue skin.

Jack couldn't talk anymore. He could only look into Sally's eyes and tell her with his gaze what he was trying to say. "I…" left him one more time softly.

Sally smiled and trembled. She understood. She felt it too. And he was so beautiful in the near darkness.

Everything was so beautiful…

They came together in a small moment of passion and let themselves kiss like they had on their hill—a moment of perfect intimacy.

Their kiss didn't seem to end for many moments. In fact, it actually seemed to be escalating… Hands holding each other and breaths catching, and forms embracing closer and closer in a gentleness that was building in passion.

"Jack! We're ready for you!" the Mayor's voice suddenly announced from in front of the backdrop curtain.

Jack and Sally blinked and separated. They stood there with wide eyes, breathing heavily.

Jack trembled a little and moved close to Sally. He whispered to her, their foreheads pressed together. "H-Hold that thought…for just a little while longer…_please_." His voice had deepened on the please—a reaction he couldn't help.

Sally trembled a little too and nodded. "_Yes_." She blushed at how enthusiastic her whispered reply sounded. "Yes…I will, Jack." She turned from him, feeling so delightfully flustered to the point of wobbling a little on her legs now.

Jack swallowed and took her hand to steady her and lead them both past the backdrop curtain. "Here we are, Mayor." He did his best to smile normally and sound ready as ever. "You can open the front curtain now, and we'll being our meeting!"

The Mayor nodded and, still with his smiling face on, pulled open the front curtain on himself, Jack, Sally, the trick-or-treaters, two strange looking living woman in pink and red and yellow robes, and a bathtub full of bugs.

It was going to be an interesting Town Meeting, to say the least.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! Thank you for reading! : ) Next time, we head right into the town meeting. The Oogie problem is discussed, other holidays are discussed, and Jack and Sally finally confess their feelings to the town (and the Doctor)…with interesting results. I'll try to post it soon!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	19. The Town Meeting

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter, and I really hope you like it : ) The Town Meeting…and some big revelations! Enjoy, and please review if you can ^_^  
**  
Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 19:**

**The Town Meeting**

* * *

'_Oh, those blood red lips, like velvet and satin…. No, like crushed dark roses. She felt even more wonderful than I remembered. And the way we lost our breaths even though we don't need to breathe, how her mouth started to move with mine, how we pressed gently together, giving and taking and holding and touching…. And how she said she would 'hold that thought' about our time together until later tonight when we're home all alone again, just the two of us, and the darkness, and the truth, and forever. Oh, to have even one more passionate moment like that with her…I could sing_.'

Though Jack smiled pleasantly and spoke normally and betrayed no signs of preoccupation as he addressed the citizens from his current place on stage, thoughts like these were racing through his skull. He wanted to go home with Sally, he wanted to explain entirely his recent actions and his true feelings to her, and then he wanted them to get swept up in something again, and he did not want them to be interrupted. He had addressed their first fight already and the misunderstanding that had led to it—that had to be the hardest part of everything, right? Taking care of the bug problem and announcing his and Sally's courtship would certainly be a cinch compared to the last three days of anxiety and suspicious trips and confusing dates and midnight rendezvouses and lover's quarrels and trying to make up.

And then finally would come the easiest task of all—Jack would take his lovely Sally home, tell her he loved her very dearly and explain his anxieties that had led him to behaving so foolishly lately about that love, and then, well…he would get to 'entertain' her for the rest of the evening. Maybe Jack hadn't actively tapped into the romantic side of himself, the sensual side of himself, the intimately trusting and passionate side of himself in a very long while, but he simply couldn't resist the compulsions to do so anymore, and he really didn't want to anyway. Those few precious moments of kissing in the back of the town hall had gotten intense enough…. What more would they do together?

Jack was finally more curious than he was nervous to find out.

Anyway, while all of these romantic thoughts had been fluttering through his mind, externally Jack had indeed been conducting the town meeting with his usual charisma and skill; thanking the citizens for their patience with his absence and their efforts to locate Sally and Jewel, assuring them that he was all right and that everything for next Halloween was under control and well underway, and briefly introducing his Valentine guests. Next he had moved on to the bug problem (and had done Lock, Shock and Barrel the favor of minimizing their negative role in the situation), making sure to keep his tone very calm about the whole thing. So there were bugs? Not a huge issue—there were bugs all over town after all, and there was no sign of Oogie Boogie himself, so really this problem was more of a nuisance than a threat. But one that should really be fixed if possible, of course.

Meanwhile, as Jack was making his announcements, Sally had been standing a bit behind him and looking downward, her hands clasped in front of herself as she rocked on her feet a little and blushed a lot. Being on this stage in front of everyone under the bright lights was very overwhelming to her shy nature. Not to mention she was still giddy from that kiss backstage. Oh, she had felt something so wonderfully willing in Jack during it, and she was so ready for him too. How he had begged her to 'hold that thought' about their embrace for just a little while longer in that deep, pleading voice of his like he couldn't bear to be out of contact with her anymore, how she had given him a pleading 'yes' in return in a tone she had never heard herself use but liked. _'Oh dearest Jack_…' And now how he stood up here, trying to act calm and professional, though Sally knew the truth: inside he was trembling with passion for her just as she trembled for him. And later they would go home together and be open with each other and then…

Sally blushed even more darkly at the thought. She and her true love…

She just kept remembering a thought she'd had back during the early hours of Christmas morn when she had woken up sleeping outside of Jack's gate but with his blankets all wrapped around her, which had made her unsure of her location for a moment…until his scent had caused her wonder if last night she hadn't gone to him somehow and snuggled warmly with him in his bed.

Not that Sally wanted to move too fast, but she loved him and wanted their relationship to finally have a simple opportunity to grow now. She wanted the most dramatic thing in their lives to be deciding where they would have their next date or what to make together for breakfast or whether it would be too much of a risk to kiss out in the moonlight just as passionately as they would do hidden away in their own little house.

Sally still had to get through this town meeting though, of course, before she and Jack could move on to that happy period of carefree courtship. And though right now she tried to have great concern for the bug issues, mostly her thoughts were preoccupied with what the Doctor was going to do when she and Jack announced their relationship (and it wasn't helping make her any less uneasy that she couldn't spot the Doctor or Jewel in the crowd right now—where were they, and when would the Doctor come for her?).

Sally did have one consoling thought though regarding Doctor Finkelstein: she knew now that Jack wasn't 'sick', just a little loopy from the love potion candies he had been taking, which meant he didn't need a doctor, which meant Sally no longer had to consider the possibility of bringing him to Doctor Finkelstein and having him cure Jack in exchange for Sally's renewed servitude. She still had her freedom. However, Sally was prepared for a fight nonetheless, though she didn't want one. How embarrassing it would be if the Doctor started calling her his property and trying to yank her all the way home in front of everyone! And she knew the Doctor and Jack had always been friends—what if that relationship was ruined forever too? Not to mention Jewel…. Sally wanted to be friends with Jewel and to be able to see her. What if the Doctor hated her so much after he found out about her and Jack that he wouldn't let her see the manor or Jewel or even Igor ever again? Sally felt so sad thinking about that idea. Jewel was a friend, and also she wanted to help her regarding a certain issue—Jewel clearly liked Doctor Finkelstein very, very, very much, after all, even if the poor creation didn't seem to realize the depths her feelings yet. And Sally knew if anybody could relate to her situation and be supportive, it was herself.

Sally blinked and realized now that she hadn't been paying attention to a single word that had left Jack's mouth in the last ten minutes. She sighed and tried to focus. _'I know you're embarrassed and worried, but just think about Jack's voice—that'll make everything better. And this will all be over soon._' She glanced forward to her dearest Jack.

"…So there is our situation, my dear fellow citizens," Jack finished with a smile as he lightly clapped together his bony hands. "A bug problem. A simple matter, but one in need of being addressed nonetheless. I know we're all anxious for everything in our town to get back to normal and for Halloween preparations to return to their usual full swing, so I say we think up a solution to this issue as quickly as possible. And whatever it is, I'll make all the arrangements to have it done."

Only mumbling met him from the crowd however, and it sounded a bit uncertain. Jack wasn't surprised though—even he was having a little trouble thinking up a solution to this one. _'I suppose we could just let the bugs go, and I could carry out my plan to fill in the gorge.'_ Yet still, the bugs made Jack uneasy. After all, clearly this situation had a direct relation to the topic of Oogie Boogie, so the Pumpkin King simply couldn't justify to himself leaving solving the nature of the bug matter untended (even if anything related to Oogie Boogie was the last thing Jack wanted any more to do with these days). He cleared his throat and added to the crowd for good measure, "Also, to keep the problem from growing and as long as no one's using the site to live on anymore, I've been thinking of plans to fill in the gorge underneath the old town bridge either to turn it into a fungus and moss garden or a bog or possibly even just a landfill for the town. That will help with the problem somewhat of course, but I would to hear like any other opinion anyone wants to give on the bugs." '_There we go—that should ease everyone's minds and get the ball rolling with some ideas hopefully.'_

The murmurs increased a little at this announcement, and then some voices were heard distinctly.

"But what if it's a sign?"

"What if Oogie Boogie is okay?"

"What if he seeks his revenge?"

"Maybe we should destroy the bugs!"

"We could eat them!"

Jack frowned—panic was definitely still a possibility for the crowd.

"Now, now, one at a time please!" the Mayor announced, smiling face showing as he came up alongside Jack. "I'm sure Oogie Boogie's not back, but we have to let Jack take in all of these ideas so that he can think about which would be best to do! And besides we can't be too hasty about this matter—everyone isn't even here at the town meeting to contribute, after all." He squinted and looked out over the crowd. "Has anybody seen Doctor Finkelstein or Jewel? I could have sworn they were here just before Jack arrived."

Helgamine the witch spoke up. "I think they're back at the Doctor's manor." She grinned a little. "Jewel insisted the Doctor eat his dinner before it got too cold and rotted to nothing, and the Doctor grumbled a lot but said yes and let her take him." She giggled and nudged Zeldabourne and the Undersea Gal, who both giggled a little too.

Sally blushed at hearing this news and glanced up with a frown. Was Jewel's secret affection for the Doctor really becoming so obvious? It was possible. Jewel didn't seem aware of her affection, and either way she didn't seem to have developed Sally's natural guile for hiding personal secrets. But still… '_They shouldn't tease her._' Then Sally swallowed and paled a little. '_What'll they say about __me__?_' She could almost imagine…. 'Sally, you think you're good enough to be Jack's girlfriend? Sally, you've been secretly living with Jack for days now? Sally, you managed to have a fight with Jack already? Sally, you're going to be living with Jack permanently?!' She figured she had about a twenty percent chance of them patting her on the back and congratulating her for finally 'snagging' the Pumpkin King, a thirty percent chance of them laughing at her and teasing her, and a fifty percent chance of them getting very angry and jealous. Either one of those options made Sally blush with potential embarrassment.

"All right then," the Mayor went on, "the Doctor and Jewel should be back soon, so we won't make any final decisions until they return. Hmm…" He considered and then glanced at Flora and Marigold. "Ah, our new other holiday friends—you're both leaders, perhaps you have a suggestion for how to handle our little bug problem. Any input would be greatly appreciated."

Flora blinked at being addressed so suddenly and smiled. She looked to Marigold. "May I? Provided we have time of course."

Marigold sighed but nodded. "We have time to participate in the discussion but not to help afterwards. Deal?" She held out her hand.

Flora nodded and smiled. "Deal." She shook Marigold's hand.

Marigold smiled to her in return as their shake ended. "Okay then, Flora, have fun addressing the crowd. I know it's one of your favorite things to do—show off." She smirked just a little.

The Heart Queen chuckled lightly and then turned to face the full town hall assembly. Her smile softened, and she let out a breath and stepped forward as regally as possible.

Behind her the three trick-or-treaters (still leaning against their tub full of uncovered bug-filled cages) started laughing.

"Oh please—how's miss hearts and rosy cheeks going to handle Halloween Town bugs?! Turn them into pretty flowers or something?" Shock cackled to herself, and the boys joined in her laughter.

Marigold just sighed and mumbled to herself under her breath. "Oh good—rabble-rousers. This outing just keeps getting better and better." She rubbed her temple, trying not to smile at the absurdity of it all.

At Shock's challenge, meanwhile, Flora just smiled and glanced to the children and the bathtub. "Well, actually," she started simply, "if these were normal bugs, personally I would go with the suggestion of eating them." Her smile picked up a little on one side. "Chocolate covered insects are considered a delicacy in my world—I'm especially fond of crickets myself."

The three kids blinked in surprise, their mouths hanging open a little. Then Lock glanced over at the main podium. "Uh, Jack, I may have to vote for Flora over Sally." Barrel nodded, and Shock just rolled her eyes.

Jack just looked over at the children with a light scowl and a shake of his head.

Sally frowned at them as well, but then just sighed and looked down shyly again, arms crossed over her chest.

"Pick Flora over Sally for what, Jack?" the Mayor asked in confusion, scratching his head.

Jack blinked and looked back to him and then the crowd with a smile. "Oh, erm…nothing, it's not important. The children are just having another one of their little popularity contests." He glanced back at the trick-or-treaters and said under his breath with a slight glare in his eye sockets, "I won the last one of those, remember?"

Shock rolled her eyes but sighed and nodded. "Right, right, you're the leader, we're loyal to you, yada, yada, yada, taking forever to make big announcements."

Jack just shook his head and smiled a little again. Then he looked to Flora. "So, Heart Queen, you were saying something about eating the bugs, and covered in chocolate? Hmm, I don't believe anybody's ever tried that here. But it seems like a delicious idea. I really do think our holidays will get along just splendidly."

Flora smiled at him and gave a small bow. "Thank you, Jack. But, as I was saying, if these were normal bugs I think that would be a fine option. But I don't think they are…" She approached the bathtub, looking at the caged bugs curiously, and then frowned. "They're so large, and look at their eyes—there's fear in them, Jack…and the sensation that they've never been cared for or loved but have just lived in fear for a very long time." She turned back to the Pumpkin King. "I think someone needs to go to the root of the problem and see what's down in that old lair even before you fill in that gorge, Jack. Even just to check that no more of these poor bugs are down there to save."

"I see." Going back to the gorge was one thing, but Jack had some serious reservations about returning to that lair. Yet, Flora made an excellent point, and Jack wasn't about to put his own desires over the needs of his citizens (or innocent creatures like the bugs), not when he had been doing that so heavily lately. He nodded. "I think you're right, Flora."

Sally frowned. She could handle going near the gorge, but she did not want to go back down into Oogie's lair; back to the place where she'd been tied to a slab, where a very awful person had looked at her in ways that had turned her stomach…where she'd had to experience the romantic touch of another man the memory of which still made her skin crawl, especially her poor leg. For a moment she recalled being pulled down there by Oogie's vacuum breath after he had caught her trying to free Santa, and how he had tossed her leg back at her while tying Santa to the slab and made her stitch her knee back to her thigh while he watched and chuckled. Sally didn't like that the emotion was inside of her, but quite frankly she hated Oogie Boogie and everything and every place to do with him. But she also had a feeling that Jack would be the one who would have to investigate the lair, and she knew that no matter what her feelings were about the place she would go with him and be by his side.

Meanwhile out in the crowd murmurs of approval started cropping up.

"Yes, we should check the lair!"

"Jack can go! He made it through that place with Oogie there, it'll be easy to do now that he's gone!"

"And if there's nothing down there, it means the bugs aren't a problem, and we can just fill in the gorge like he said!"

"And if Oogie is coming back, if anyone can stop him, it's Jack!"

"Jack's our hero, the bravest King of them all!"

Everybody cheered in approval.

"Whoa, whoa." Jack held up his hands, trying to silence them. "Everybody, please calm down." The room quieted a little. Jack smiled humbly and lowered his hands. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, and I'll certainly go down to the lair myself as your king to make sure everything's all right. But this isn't a spectacle for me to show off or a Halloween stunt for everyone to admire—it's a very serious thing. There's really no need for cheering. If anything…" he sighed and frowned, "…if anything you should be demanding my apology for allowing this problem and countless others to develop in the first place through my negligence lately as King of Halloween."

Jack stepped forward to address the crowd more directly. He cleared his throat—it was time to move on to a new topic of discussion now that they had a plan about the bugs. "Everyone, I have to say something. I'm so very sorry for trying to change us and make us do Christmas. It was a mistake. Though I can't tell you all how much I appreciate the faith you had in me throughout the whole thing." He smiled a little. "Believe me, if I had thought even for a moment during all of the preparations that our Christmas would fail as much as it did—that_ I_ would fail Christmas as much as I did—I would have stopped things immediately. But I thought we could do something grand with it. For the first time in years I was truly hap—" Jack paused and stopped himself from going on. _'You're not talking to Sally right now, you're talking to the town. Tone it down a little.'_

Jack took a breath and chose to express himself a little differently. "…There was a certain excitement and newness about celebrating the first Halloweens that I think we can all remember. I just wanted to recapture some of that wonder by celebrating Christmas for the first time. And I wanted to explore a different side of myself. I needed to prove to myself that I could be more than just the Pumpkin King." He frowned a little. "But then I realized that the problem wasn't that being the Pumpkin King wasn't enough for me, the problem was I wasn't being everything I could be anymore as the Pumpkin King." He smiled. "That was the best thing that came out of Christmas for me—a new appreciation for our horrifying holiday that comes so naturally to us all. I'm the Pumpkin King, and I know now I can express all the sides of myself as the Pumpkin King—as Jack Skellington."

Jack paused for a moment and then added with one final breath, "But for all of the effort and turmoil I put our town through, and for any Halloween plan delays this year, and for any Oogie Boogie or bug development now that may be a consequence of what I did, I'm truly sorry." He bowed his head to the crowd. "I'm honored to serve you all as your King, and I will continue to do my best at that job."

The whole crowd was very quiet.

The silence weighed heavily on Jack.

Then he heard very light clapping coming from behind him.

Shy Sally was gently clapping her cloth hands together with as much force as she could muster.

Hearing and seeing her, Flora joined in with the clapping and did her best to guide the crowd. The Mayor and Marigold followed in suite with smiles.

The claps from out in the audience started slowly but then grew and grew.

Jack's eye sockets went a little wide and he looked up to see all of his citizens clapping and cheering just like when he had returned home safe from his nearly fatal Christmas flight.

"Jack, we're just happy you're okay!"

"Oh Jack, you're so humble!"

"We're just happy your safe!"

"Jack safe!"

"Oh, we care about you so much, Jack—who else makes walls fall?"

"And mountains crack?"

"And wounds ooze and flesh crawl?"

"Oh Jack," the Mayor wiped a tear from his eye and came forward to his King, "how kind of you to show so much concern for all of us. But of course we all forgive you and we were happy to help you with Christmas. You're our leader, Jack—you guide us and give us so much whether by scaring the whole world or just by being around town for us to see and talk to. We'd do anything for you, Jack, we all just want you to be happy."

The whole crowd nodded.

Jack was so moved. In fact, he was the happiest he had been on this stage in this town hall since he could remember. And his happiness was only added to as Sally now came alongside him and nodded as well, gazing up at him warmly.

Jack smiled at her and then at the crowd again. "And I just want all of you to be happy too, my friends…my family. I'm so very glad to be back in this town, we call home, where everyone hails to the Pumpkin song." He gave the crowd a graceful bow which was met with another burst of applause.

Then a beaming Jack popped back up and clapped his hands together again. "All right, it's settled then—I will be making another trip out to the gorge as soon as this meeting is over to see about the source of the bug situation." On the inside Jack frowned a little—a task after this meant he couldn't go home with Sally right away. He hated to disappoint her like that…and he also hated to leave that trembling ache for her inside of himself without relief for a little longer…but it had to be done for the safety of the town and for the sake of his own peace of mind. He glanced back at Sally with an apologetic frown. "I'm sorry," he mumbled to her while the crowd's clapping continued. "Just let me take care of this, and then I promise we'll get to be alone."

Sally smiled and nodded in understanding. "It's okay. We can go back to the lair first and then home. As long as we're together."

Jack blinked and frowned more. "Sally, I'd prefer to go alone."

She blinked and then frowned too. "Jack, I thought we talked about how I'm perfectly capable of handling anyth—"

"It's not about that." Jack cut her off quickly, rubbing his hands together and looking uneasy. "I know you're capable." His voice was unintentionally becoming a bit more audible, and just as the applause was starting to die down too. "I'd rather explain it to you later."

Sally's voice was suffering from the same effect. "Jack, I can't just sit alone at home while you go there all by yourself. I can help, just like I helped with Christmas. Why don't you want me to come? Please tell me." Her expression softened a little.

Jack hesitated but remained firm. "Sally, I need to go down into the gorge by myself, and I'm going down into the gorge by myself. I don't want anybody coming with me, including you."

"No," Sally shook her head and said back just as firmly, not in anger but just as a simple refusal, "I'm going to Oogie's lair too, Jack. I am."

"What am I hearing?! Sally, my creation, publicly refusing a direct formal order from Jack the Pumpkin King!?"

Sally froze up entirely and didn't blink or move. The Doctor's voice, so harsh, so grating, so unfortunately familiar and so surprising that it made her cloth flesh crawl in a way she had almost forgotten it could do: that voice had just met her ears, and it made her undead heart sink in her chest.

Jack blinked and instantly looked out to the crowd where he now saw the Doctor coming up the central aisle as a shy-looking Jewel pushed his chair. Jewel spoke to the Doctor softly. "Oh Doctor, don't be mad at Sally. She and Jack get along so well together, I think it makes perfectly logical sense that she wants to go with him."

"Mmm…" The Doctor grumbled a little. "Jewel, that is enough—this place is too exciting for you. It was awkward enough that you insisted on rolling me home for dinner right when the town was anticipating Jack's return to start the meeting, and when you made me give in and let you accompany me back here, but you don't have enough experience yet to start making judgments in public about town matters."

Jewel blinked and then looked down. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I just wanted you to get your nutrition. And I just wanted to make a point." As far as Jewel knew, the Doctor was a more logical person than she was—he had made her, after all. But in a moment like this she felt like saying something against his position, even if she logically didn't have much to gain from doing so. He was so extra crabby this afternoon though…and he kept rubbing his cranium (the left side specifically).

The Doctor just grumbled again, his emotional response upon seeing Sally clearly outweighing all other concerns. "Take me over to the stage." He rubbed his temple again.

Jewel nodded and wheeled the Doctor past the front row and to the ramp on the side of the stage. They both ascended together and went over to Jack and Sally.

The Doctor looked up at his first creation with a suspicious scowl. "Where have you been?" he asked in a low tone.

Sally felt like she could have just started shaking, started crying, and run off far away right now. Here it was, her humiliation in front of everybody. But she couldn't give him the satisfaction, she just couldn't, but she also couldn't leave Jack alone to go into that lair himself. That place may have terrified her but she was more terrified of the idea of Jack all by himself down there. She looked at the Doctor and replied simply and firmly so everyone could hear, "I've been out."

The Doctor blinked, seeming taken aback by her slightly brazen response. "Out where?" He leaned closer to her. "Do you have any idea how much we have all been worried about you? How much _I've_ been worried about you? No one's seen you for days, we thought you'd somehow ended up back in Oogie's lair or lost in the hinterlands or that you were perishing somewhere without help. I have been frantic, Sally! How were any of us supposed to know if you were safe?"

For a moment the defensiveness slipped from Sally's tone. She blinked. "You…were worried about me…and me being safe?"

The Doctor let out an annoyed sigh. "Of course, Sally! Haven't you realized yet—I'd always tell you not to wander off because you were my creation and I wanted you in the house where you belonged, but also because I was trying to keep you from having too much stimulation and too many dangerous experiences and so many chances for getting lost! Everyone around here is centuries old, and you're so young, and this place is a death trap! I have been trying to protect you since the day you first opened your eyes! Why did you not tell me where you were?!"

Sally looked (and felt) confused and hurt and touched and angry all at once. She took a step toward him. "I didn't tell you because you just would have tried to capture me and make me come back to the manor. I don't want to live with you, Doctor Finkelstein, I don't want to do the chores and take care of the house. And if you ever really were just trying to take care of me, I appreciate the effort, but you did it all wrong. And I don't need your protection anyway. I can take care of myself." She tried to smile. "I can, really. I'm sorry if I worried you or anybody else by disappearing, but I'm fine on my own. And you have a wonderful person to take care of you now, and Jewel loves doing it."

Jewel smiled softly behind the Doctor.

"That is not the point!" Doctor Finkelstein scowled, sounding much more emotionally frustrated than usual. "I asked you a question, and I want an answer. Where have you been?"

Sally swallowed, frowning a little again. "Why does it matter?" she managed.

Doctor Finkelstein glowered more. "Because if it was not some place safe—and with how secretive you're being, I'm guessing it was indeed someplace quite unsafe—then you are coming back to the manor with me where you at least have a roof over your head!" And then he reached out his hand, clearly in a motion to take Sally's arm.

The Doctor was stopped by Jack moving between him and Sally at the just that moment.

There was a long silence now.

Then Jack swallowed and said aloud to everyone as calmly and professionally as he could, "Doctor, there is no need for concern over Sally's safety. Ever since Christmas…Sally has been with me." For the first time in his life Jack felt like everybody was staring at him, and he really did not relish the feeling.

There were a few whispers in the crowd.

Doctor Finkelstein just looked confused. He pulled back his hand wheeled back slightly. "What do you mean?"

Jack cleared his throat awkwardly, and Sally stepped out from behind him now to speak for herself again. "He means I haven't been missing. I've been with Jack, in the tower at Jack's house. And after thinking about it awhile and after a generous offer from him, I've decided to live there permanently for now. " She looked down, digging her foot into the stage but staying strong.

Jack couldn't help suddenly beaming a little. He looked to her. "Really? You really will stay…and not go?"

Sally beamed a little too and glanced up at him and nodded. "Yes, Jack. I only wanted to go before because I thought my being there was what was, um…disturbing your rest. And because we were fighting. But now that I know that it was just a misunderstanding and that you're feeling better now, of course I want to stay." She moved closer to him.

Jack smiled so happily, and Sally smiled pretty happily herself.

Doctor Finkelstein blinked and then looked to Jack. "Jack, my boy, you know I have always respected your decisions and been willing to grant you any favors I could, and I appreciate you looking after her like this, but this simply isn't fair—I created Sally to be my servant, she can't just leave me to go and be yours. You have no idea what you're getting into. She's very restless and stubborn." He turned his chair in Sally's direction. "And, Sally, you can't just run away from home forever like this—your room's waiting for you, and Jewel won't stop talking about how much she cares for you, and even Igor asks about you, and I…I'm…used to you." He glanced down stubbornly.

Jack and Sally both stood there with wide eyes.

Then Sally took a step forward. She considered the Doctor's words carefully. The Doctor was acting differently than he usually did—explaining himself more, indirectly implying emotional concern, appearing almost shy in a way. "Doctor…" she started softly, "if Jewel likes me very much and if Igor misses me and if you'll need me to help you sometimes before you can get used to me not being around, I can visit. I'll help Jewel learn more about the chores around the house, and I'll explain to Igor why I'm going away, and…I could try to explain it better to you too. But you have Jewel now, and she loves running the manor and helping you with your experiments—there's no place for me with you, Doctor. I have a place of my own now." She smiled with pride but then added with a touch of seriousness, "And I'm not Jack's servant."

The Doctor let out a breath, rubbing his left temple again. "But…Sally, if you're not his servant and just his guest for now, then how are you going to survive? Repairs, food, money…. Who will look after you, Sally?"

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Sally stopped him by speaking for herself again, still smiling a little. "I'll look after myself. I can sew myself together. And Jack was kind enough to offer to take up sewing if I ever really fall apart." She tried not to blush too much. "And I don't eat much, but if I do need money then I can sew things for people and do odd jobs. You…you did a good job making me, Doctor, just like you did with Jewel—I'm fine on my own. I've been trying to explain that to you for a while now."

A look of concern actually overtook Doctor Finkelstein's features. "But Sally, you can't inconvenience Jack by relying on his hospitality forever."

"But she's not," Jack gently interrupted. "She's not an inconvenience at all. And she's not my servant. She just wants the right to live her life as freely and creatively as any other citizen of Halloween Town. And I'm sorry if we worried all of you…" he glanced out to the crowd, "we truly are, but Sally needed a rest after Christmas just as much as I did. After all…" he smiled a little more, "she did save Santa Claus's life."

The whole crowd gasped in surprise, and Sally looked to Jack with uneasy shyness. "Jack," she said softly, "you don't have to…I didn't…"

Jack just shook his head though. "She's going to be modest, but she did save him. I was so busy with my Christmas flight, I didn't realize that, er…_certain people_…" behind Jack, Lock, Shock and Barrel cowered near their bathtub a little, glancing away and innocently whistling, "…had misplaced Santa, leaving him to the mercy of Oogie Boogie. No one noticed, of course, because of all the holiday festivities and confusion. But Sally remembered Santa. And she made a daring rescue attempt on her own to save him, and got caught by Oogie herself in the process. Yet, it was her sacrifice that kept Santa unharmed long enough for me to make it to Oogie's lair and perform a rescue!" Jack smiled proudly as he finished his summary of the harrowing tale—he had been using hand gestures now, getting a little caught up in the drama of the moment as usual. He glanced to his dearest friend.

Sally just looked down entirely now, though she did smile. "Thank you, Jack…" she said softly. "But, please, what I did wasn't anything too special. We don't have to talk about it too much right now." Her eyes met his again.

Jack nodded and smiled gently. "Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away."

And now bunch of impressed 'Ooos' and chatter left the crowd at this revelation of Sally's role.

Near the back of the stage, Marigold smirked at Flora and spoke lightly under her breath. "No wonder you've insisted on befriending her—she sounds almost as reckless as you when pushed."

Flora smirked back a little, her voice likewise low. "Very funny."

Then the Mayor waddled forward between Doctor Finkelstein and Jack and Sally. "Well, in that case, Sally's just as much of a hero as Jack is, and I think I speak for everybody when I say I'm certain she's proven herself a capable citizen!" He clapped and got the audience started in a brief round of applause. "Don't you agree, Doctor Finkelstein?" He looked to the Doctor.

Doctor Finkelstein blinked a few times. "I…well…Sally," he glanced back at her, "You really did this? That's why you were down in the lair with Santa when Jack rescued him?"

Sally nodded. "Yes," she said softly. "Somebody had to help Santa, and I did my best. I only got myself captured, but then Jack had enough time to rescue us, like he said." She moved closer to Jack.

Doctor Finkelstein considered. No creature in this town had ever been brave enough to confront Oogie Boogie about anything except for Jack. So either Sally was completely foolish or she was possibly the most clever and daring citizen in town. And considering her chemistry expertise with poisoning his tea over the years and her multiple escapes from the manor (some of which still baffled him) and the amount of work he had put into her brain as his first sentient creation, the Doctor could only conclude that she fell into the 'clever and daring' category. Not to mention (unusually enough) he just had a feeling that was where she belonged.

Even if he brought her back she would only run off again and again…

And the town seemed to be supporting her position…

And as long as she wasn't getting into any mischief but just living a thrifty, honest life…

And as long as he did have Jewel who actually liked running the manor…

Doctor Finkelstein took a breath and spoke. "I…I suppose you are a capable citizen, Sally. And I suppose after all of that, if you want to lead your own life…I won't stop you." He let out a deep sigh, looking firm. "But I do strongly advise that you visit the manor on a regular basis, erm…so that Jewel doesn't miss you too much. And I advise that you find a way to get living quarters of your own soon enough. The Pumpkin King has been very nice to offer you his tower indefinitely, but he has business to attend to and you must not wear out your welcome."

The Mayor nodded, still grinning. "Yes, yes, I'm certain we'll all come to her for any sewing jobs we need so that she has means, and we'll provide her with a place to make a home of her own for whenever she ever does decide to live on her own." He clapped some more, and the audience joined in again.

"Yes, but meanwhile, lucky her for getting to live so close to the Pumpkin King!" Helgamine whispered loudly to Zeldabourne as the applause died down once more.

"Yeah," Zeldabourne nodded, "I'd give anything just to live _next door_ to Jack, let alone _in his house_."

"Maybe she'll have us over so we can visit," Undersea Gal suggested with a smile.

The three women giggled together.

Sally blushed and glanced down more. She knew the announcement that was coming next, after all. And she also knew that she still had no idea how the town was going to react to this one (let alone the Doctor who was still positioned only a few feet away from her).

"Attention, everyone, settle down please!" Jack held up his arms and requested with a kind smile (and an awkward clearing of his throat after those few comments by the women in the crowd). He clapped his hands together as the audience became quiet again. "Thank you all for your support." He glanced at the Doctor and gave a polite bow. "And thank you, Doctor Finkelstein, for being so understanding about all of this."

Doctor Finkelstein still pouted a little but nodded. "Certainly, Jack," he mumbled out gruffly.

Jack gave him a nod in return, then straightened up and looked to everyone again. "Sally and I appreciate such a warm reception in regards to the news of her whereabouts and plans. However…there is another announcement we wish to make before all of you here: our family, our friends. A _personal_ announcement."

Sally nodded, summoned her courage, and spoke too as she managed to look out to the crowd again. "Yes. We have to share something together with everyone."

"Um…excuse me?" Flora lightly cleared her throat and came up behind them. "I think a brief mention of Valentine Town and certain visits might be a good transition into that subject." She smiled a little more, looking from jack to Sally.

Jack blinked and understood. '_Yes, of course I have to explain about my trips and about her too. I almost forgot. And maybe that really would be the best way to start…_' Jack looked out to the crowd. "The Heart Queen makes an excellent point. I should also explain to all of you why and how she and her friend have come to be here…and I'm afraid I also our town another apology." He took a breath, his look and tone solemn. "Part of what I've been doing for the past few days is taking secret trips back to the holiday forest and visiting Flora's land, Valentine Town." He frowned. "I'm sorry. Visiting the holiday forest and its worlds secretly is what got our town into trouble in the first place. I wasn't thinking, and I promise all visits now will be conducted formally, publically, and for the sake of diplomacy and cultural exchange."

The crowd responded with smiles and calls of clemency.

"We forgive you, Jack!"

"Yes, of course!"

"We're all curious about the other worlds too!"

"And you didn't steal this holiday!"

"Tell them exactly WHY you picked Valentine Town, I'm guessing!"

That last phrase (followed by a cackle) came from Shock at the back of the stage.

The whole audience latched onto it though, as shown by how they suddenly nodded to each other with some general words of interest and then looked to Jack with rapt attention. Jack had explained to all of them countless times what was so special about Christmas. So why focus his efforts on a new holiday—this Valentine's Day? What was so special about that?

Sally was quite interested too. Jack hadn't entirely explained to her yet what had begun his deep interest in the new holiday after all.

Jack blinked. This was the moment, wasn't it? The moment when he would tell the town that he and Sally were dearest friends and more. Funny, but he suddenly realized that didn't feel nervous anymore. He actually felt quite elated in a way. The Pumpkin King cleared his throat and smiled a little to himself. "I chose Valentine Town because…Valentine's Day is a holiday of love." He did blanch slightly at having to use that word. He went on. "Romantic attachment seems to be the, um…primary concern of the holiday. So I went to learn about…I…" Jack felt so tongue-tied—he _never_ got tongue-tied in front of the town. He clasped his hands together and finally forced himself to go on. "I can talk more about the specific nature of Valentine's Day later. It's not what's really important here, and Flora and Marigold would do a better job of explaining it anyway. The point is, I chose to go to Valentine Town, and deepest reason I went there involves only me and one other person. And what I have to say now involves only me and that one other person." Jack smiled in a special way. '_I always fall back on giving them what they want. But right now I have to focus on what Sally and I want and on what everyone __needs__ to hear_.' He took a deep breath and let himself softly sing what he had to say next, the tune slow and similar to the end of his town meeting song about Christmas.

"_Yes, the best, I must confess, I have saved for the last, _

_For I went to this loving land, _

_To learn about companionship and courtship and care, _

_And now I have to let you all understand._

_In our land of night and harvest moonlight, the Pumpkin King has this to say…_"

Jack lowered his voice and finished.

"_Sally has sewn her way into my heart…"_

Then his voice grew lighter, though it remained singsong-ish.

"_And I'm very excited, now I have a dearest friend. _

_And I plan to stay close to her until the bitter end."_

Jack looked to Sally now. "A dearest _more than friend_ actually, right, my dearest Sally…?" And then Jack took Sally's hand, raised it up, and kissed the back of it, lingering.

There were quite a few shocked gasps and whispers from the crowd now, to say the least.

Jack removed his lips from the back of Sally's hand and looked into her eyes, his warm skeletal grin growing. He spoke so everyone could hear. "We formed a very intimate relationship together over the holidays, wouldn't you say, Sally?"

Despite her shyness, Sally couldn't help a smile coming to her lips at his sweet words. She even wobbled on her legs a little, though by holding his hand she managed to keep herself steady. "I…" She realized now more than ever how she had never spoken of her feelings with any member of the town before. Sally took a deep breath and managed to make her voice audible to the room (though she kept her eyes on Jack's eye sockets). "Jack is the kindest, most caring, most interesting, and best man I've ever known." She sighed softly. "I've cared about him for a very long time. And even though we've only been together a few days, I have the best feeling that we'll be together for more Halloweens than any of us can count." Sally squeezed Jack's hand, her smile warm and bright.

Jack beamed in such contentment in return.

"Boo!" Shock called out from in back of them on the stage. "Enough with the cutesy stuff! At least kiss or something!" She laughed, and the boys joined in. Then… "Ow, Hey!"

Shock was a little surprised to suddenly have the Heart Queen standing over her (after nudging her slightly) and seeming quite authoritative as she spoke though she smiled sweetly. "Shock, Barrel, Lock…" Flora's voice was quiet as she addressed all three children, "you're starting to encroach on my territory a little and upsetting the delicate chemistry of the moment—leave it alone please, or I'll be forced to plant eternally growing pink roses all around your tree house. Or I'll just let Marigold turn it into the neatest and most organized place in town. All right?"

Beside her, Marigold grinned a little. "She'll do it. You don't want to mess with her about love, believe me."

Shock rolled her eyes but then just arms crossed over her chest and sighed. "Oh fine, whatever." Lock and Barrel grumbled a little but just went back to quietly watching the onstage confession too.

Meanwhile Jack and Sally were still just standing before each other at the front of the stage smiling awkwardly. Then Jack gathered a great deal of courage and quickly gave Sally the smallest peck on the corner of her mouth before pulling away and clearing his throat. He lowered their still clasped hands and glanced to the crowd again. "I apologize for the announcement being so sudden. Our relationship escalated a bit quickly. But we've found a great happiness with each other. And we don't want to be apart anymore or to keep things a secret." Jack turned to smile down at Sally once more, trying not to chuckle at how her big smile contrasted with her shy posture.

There was silence.

Then Jewel smiled and clapped happily!

The crowd simply remained in awe.

Then Doctor Finkelstein came out of his awe. "Wait, I…sh-she can't just…and he can't just…but she's…a-and they….Ohh…Ohh my head…!" He put a hand to his cranium and let out a deep sigh.

Jewel quickly bent down beside him and put a hand to his cranium as well. "Doctor it's been a very exciting day. Maybe I should take you home to lie down or to let me massage your half of the brain."

Sally frowned, concern coming to her features at the Doctor's distressed state.

Then the Mayor came toward Jack. His frowning face was on now. "Jack…are you serious?"

Jack blinked at that question and nodded. "Yes, Mayor, of course. Sally and I are involved together, and that's the way we both want to be."

The Mayor studied him closely. He chose his words carefully. "Erm, Jack…these last few months really have taken a toll on you, and especially the last few days. I just…well…are you sure you're feeling all right?"

Many responses of agreement with the Mayor's concern came from the audience to Jack.

"Jack, did you hit your head in that Christmas crash?"

"Maybe Oogie Boogie rattled him…"

"He can come rest up and get well at _my_ house if he wants and if Sally needs his for now!"

"Maybe we should let the Doctor look at him."

"How could this have happened?!"

Then the Doctor, feeling better for a moment, wheeled toward Sally, scowling. "Sally, you can't just…pursue a man you barely know, move into his house!" He had to wince and rub the left side of his head again but went on. "You know Jack as the King just as the rest of us do—you've only had three days to even begin trying to know him personally."

Jack and Sally were just startled, to say the least, by this borderline negative response to their announcement of affection.

Jack eyed the audience in perplexity. '_What are they talking about? What's so strange about me liking Sally? And they actually think I'm ill for it?'_

Sally just looked at the Doctor with wide eyes and moved herself a little bit away from him, still clinging to Jack. '_I don't care if he approves or not, I don't care what happens, he promised to respect my freedom, and he's not taking me back!'_

"Sally?" Jack asked quietly and glanced at her.

Sally nodded and looked to him as well. "Yes, Jack?"

"I don't understand." His face fell more.

"I know…I don't either." Her face fell more too.

Flora, meanwhile, from behind them on the stage watched this scene playing out with great concern (and even Marigold had to raise an eyebrow and frown). Finally, though, the situation reached a pitch she could no longer handle, and so the Heart Queen stepped forward slowly but with a great regal bearing.

"Attention, please!" she announced firmly, and her prism eyes flashing brightly.

Everybody in the crowd stopped talking and just watched her for a moment in a daze.

She smiled a little and bowed slightly. "Thank you. Now, I don't mean to presume upon the affairs of your world, but something is imbalanced here with love, and it needs some correcting. First," she looked to Jack and Sally, "Jack, Sally, I think you should see about that bug problem. Together. Alone." _'All of this is too overwhelming for them. They've been through a lot._' "When you're done, I should have everything cleared up here." She smiled more.

Jack looked uneasy at first but then considered and nodded. "Very well. It's my duty anyway to resolve any problem relating Oogie Boogie as soon as possible." He glanced back to the children. "Trick-or-treaters, keep those bugs here until I get back—do not eat them, torture them, 'lose' them, or otherwise do anything to bother them. Are we clear?" He seemed particularly firm at the moment, a fact attested to by the way the three children blinked, swallowed in slight fear, and then just nodded to his request.

Jack looked to Sally now, his gaze and tone soft once more. "Sally," he squeezed her hand, "please consider going back to back to the house and waiting for me there. I'm not trying to exclude you, I know you can handle a trip to the gorge…and even the lair. But I just…need a moment there."

Sally looked right up into his eyes. "Then I'll give you a moment there, but I'm still going with you."

Jack frowned and let her hand go to rub his temple. "Sally…"

Sally was firm. "_Jack_…"

Jack was almost bothered enough to say something again about that strange way she could say his name sometimes when she was upset—that way that couldn't help but annoy him yet make realize he might be wrong all at the same time. "Oh…" Jack finally just sighed and nodded, "fine, Sally, do whatever will make you happy, but please let's just go." Jack went forward and hopped down from the stage. Even though he was a little frustrated, he of course still turned back to the stage now and reached out his hand to offer Sally help getting down.

However, Sally ignored the gesture and just jumped down from the stage herself. She wobbled a bit at first but then quickly righted herself. Sally frowned at him. "There's no need to get upset with me, Jack, just because nothing worked out like we hoped it would." And then she walked off ahead of him toward the exit doors proudly, though he could tell from the tone of her voice that tears were somewhere in her.

Jack frowned in concern and followed after her. "Sally!"

The entrance door closed behind them as they finally left the building.

Talking instantly erupted again among the crowd, which Flora silenced with a light raising of her hand and a firm flashing of her eyes. She observed the citizens closely and then turned to the Doctor and Mayor on the stage. She looked to the Doctor first. "Doctor, I'd like to talk to you privately in a moment—you and Jewel." The Doctor and Jewel just raised their eyebrows at the strange request, but Flora only smiled and turned her attention to the Mayor now. Her expression softened considerably, and she raised an eyebrow. "And Mayor…why in the world would your town react like this to the announcement that your King has found his true love?"

"Yeah, what is wrong with you dummies?" Shock suddenly added. Their bathtub stored away in the back now, the three trick-or-treaters walked across the stage to the front. Shock looked at the whole crowd with a scowl, her hands on her hips. "You were supposed to laugh at Jack and make awkward comments to the both of them and embarrass the heck out of them, not act like they just made the biggest mistake in the world!"

The boys nodded. "Yeah, what was that about?" Lock raised an eyebrow in confusion. "That's all _we_ did when _we_ found out."

Barrel shrugged. "Yeah. What, is Sally diseased or something? Come on—it's funny: Jack finally quit acting shy and went and got a girl. I say more power to him." He licked his lollipop.

"The point is," Shock went on, rolling her eyes, "it's _our_ job to make people feel crummy about themselves and spread misery. But you people were way more awful than we were to Jack about all of this, and he actually likes most of you all of the time—so what gives?" She raised an eyebrow, glaring at gathering of citizens.

The Mayor looked to the children and the Heart Queen and Marigold, his distressed face still on. "Queen Flora, Marigold, trick-or-treaters, please, you don't understand. We didn't mean to upset Jack and Sally. It's just…Jack isn't a romantic person. Jack has made a point never to pursue a single woman in this town over the centuries. He has no interest, he's always tried to be very clear about that. But then after only a few days to suddenly make an announcement like this…. We're very worried about him! What if something from the Christmas ordeal harmed him?"

There were murmurs of assent from the audience.

The Mayor went on. "We're concerned for his health. He's our king—we worry about him almost more than he worries about the rest of us. And there's Sally too to consider in all of this. That poor girl is clearly very taken with Jack. Suppose he suddenly comes back to his senses and goes right back to not wanting a romantic relationship?" The Mayor frowned even more than usual. "Her heart might get broken."

Shock blinked at that reply and then sighed dramatically rolled her eyes. "Oh brother, Jack's right, he DOES need the three of us as loyal citizens—everyone else is too busy thinking he's perfect to ever actually know anything about him let alone recognize when he's done something right or wrong."

"Yeah, really!" Barrel nodded. "You're all really this surprised that Jack's dating? He's probably like a thousand years old! it was bound to happen eventually. Besides, he's the sappiest guy in town—if anyone was doomed to fall for somebody, it was Jack. And you know once Jack gets into something, wild snakes couldn't drag him away from it. He's not going to leave her."

"He may be the scariest," Lock added with a scowl, "but in case you all haven't noticed, he's also the nicest and the most polite and most considerate and the most sensitive person around here whether the three of us think that's right or not. He even walked us over here after catching us doing something bad and told us all about how he appreciates us as citizens and loves us just as much as he loves all of you!" He rolled his eyes. "He made us all do CHRISTMAS for crying out loud with cooing baby dolls and sugar plum fairies and merry songs!" He shuddered but then shook his head and finished, "How that sappy skeleton didn't fall for somebody yet was always more confusing to the three of us."

The children all nodded.

Then Shock scowled more and added for good measure, "And so what if he's been locking himself away for a few days with Sally. In case no one's noticed, that's just how Jack is—he's always off brooding and tinkering and being weird. Just because he's never gone off alone with any of the people who throw themselves at him before…" she eyed three well-known female members of the crowd in the front row, "…doesn't make it bad that he would go off with somebody now." She turned up her nose at the crowd. "Anyway, our point is, you were all supposed to just laugh and tease Jack and make him and Sally feel super embarrassed and awkward—now instead the two of them are maybe having a fight again and all upset, and that's no fun for anyone. Way to ruin the joke, Halloween town, way to ruin the joke!" She turned to the two boys. "Come on, guys, let's get away from these unsophisticated, boring dummies."

Lock and Barrel nodded firmly.

"Yes, lets." Lock turned, likewise holding up his nose in the air.

"Absolutely." Barrel turned too, his nose also turned up.

The children marched off and left the stage through the back curtain.

Everybody was very quiet.

Then the Mayor, his sad face looking exceptionally sad, looked down in thought and shame.

Flora watched them all. Then she slowly approached the Mayor. She knelt down to his level and smiled. "Mayor…Jack and Sally's relationship may seem sudden, but personally they feel meant to be to me. And I promise you Jack's not unwell." She smiled more. "Actually, he's feeling better than ever now." She straightened up and looked out at the crowd, her voice tender if still possessing a regal bearing. "Where I come from, the bringing together of two people meant for each other is the most celebrated and desired event we have. And it's a relationship that's respected…even if it's not understood at first. But every love deserves a chance, no matter what the risks."

Murmurs of concern and shame came from the audience members.

Flora glanced to the Mayor and lowered her voice. "Mayor, please go talk to your citizens—I think you're a man with a good heart, I'm sure you can make all of this better." She smiled.

It took a moment of thought, but then the Mayor's smiling face slowly came back. He nodded. "I'll do my best. I think I understand. Thank you, Queen Flora."

Flora nodded and then her smile turned to Marigold. She grabbed the magistrate's arm and pulled her forward so that she was standing beside the Mayor now. "And I'm sure Marigold will be willing to help you out while I step off stage for a moment to take care of something."

Marigold blinked and her smile fell. "Flora, really, we do not have a lot of time. This trip has been fun and informative, I'll admit that, and I'd like to help our new friends, truly, but…"

"Marigold," Flora's tone was serious, "it's an emergency." And then she leaned in and whispered to Marigold for a moment.

As Flora spoke, Marigold raised an eyebrow at first but then her eyes went wide. The Heart Queen pulled back. Marigold looked at her. "You're serious?"

"Very." Flora nodded, glancing over to the Doctor and Jewel for a moment and then looking back to her magistrate. She sighed and rolled her eyes to the side innocently for a moment, "Though I suppose you make a point—we really don't have much time…" She smiled just a little.

"Well, we'll _make_ time for something like that," Marigold replied without any hesitation. She smiled slightly as well. "You go and do what you do best, miss Heart Queen. And I'll do what I do best up here—keeping a holiday town calm and organized."

Flora smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Marigold." She gave a small bow of her head, which Marigold reciprocated. And then Flora moved back to Doctor Finkelstein and Jewel. "Doctor, I need to see you and Jewel backstage now please."

The Doctor still held his clearly aching head. "Ooo why?" he grumbled.

Flora lowered her voice. "Because I know why you're having headaches, I think. But first I need to ask you a little bit about Jewel and her 'creation', since from what I've gathered here her origin is similar to Sally's. And if what is going on is what I think is going on, you and I need to have a discussion about making sure your creations have full and free emotional range just as Sally does. And then we need to discuss Sally's new relationship."

The Doctor looked hesitant and unhappy to say the least. But then… "You can really fix the headaches?" left him uncertainly.

Flora nodded, her smile growing. "Absolutely."

Finally the Doctor sighed and gave Jewel a nod. She smiled and quickly pushed him forward and behind the stage curtains, Flora following after them.

Marigold and the Mayor watched them go, then the two turned to each other. Marigold sighed. "All right, Mayor, let's have a nice talk with your town and see what we can do to make this romantic situation better."

The Mayor nodded. "Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated, Magistrate Marigold. Thank you. It's simply…lovely? Is that the word your people would use? It's simply…lovely to have your help for this."

Marigold smiled more and nodded. "Yes, that's the right word. And think nothing of it, Mayor—it's simply horrible for me to get to be here to help your town in this time of romantic crisis." She sighed and gestured forward. "Come on, let's begin."

The Mayor nodded, and the two of them headed forward to have a good long talk with the citizens about Jack and Sally.

And meanwhile, Flora commenced to have a good, long talk with the Doctor about Jewel…and Jewel's lack of emotions, and lack of one very important emotion in particular.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now, everyone! I'm sorry it's a big cliffhanger-ish ^^ I'll give you a brief overview of the next chapter though: some big stuff happens with the Doctor and Jewel, Jack and Sally have a long discussion about defying the romantic expectations of everyone around them, and Jack makes a special visit to Oogie's lair. And there's some Jack and Sally romantic moments thrown in there too : ) The next chapter is pretty much the last dramatic one, and after that we're getting closer to the story's conclusion and lots of lots of romantic stuff lol.

As for the next update—I'm heading into a very 'dense' month for November. It's honestly probably going to be one of the most stressful months of my life. So I'm going to try very hard to give you guys another update during it, but the next chapter might have to wait until December or New Year's. Sorry about that ^^ But I appreciate your patience very much. Thanks, guys, and thanks again for reading!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	20. Emotional Moments

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for being patient with me about the slight update hiatus, I appreciate it! November was a very difficult month for me unfortunately. But update frequency will be increasing as of January, and actually this story only has five more chapters left to it, so it'll be complete before we know it ^_^ Don't worry though—after that I have some one shots in mind to post. Anyway, here's the next chapter and please review if you can! Thanks!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 20:**

**Emotional Moments**

* * *

"Sally! Sally, wait for me!" Jack called after Sally as he ran to catch up with her outside of the town hall.

Sally sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, but did slow down a little as she continued moving in the direction of the gorge outside of town. "I'm not going to be a bother, Jack, don't worry," she started simply. "To be honest, Oogie's lair is the last place I ever want to go again. My time there was like a nightmare. But I do want to give you some company if you're going. Besides…" she frowned and looked down, "I just don't want to be around anyone else, not after…" She frowned more.

Jack came alongside her. "Sally, I don't know why everyone acted like they did about our relationship, but I'm sure they didn't mean to hurt us. They must just be surprised or they must not have understood. And as for the Doctor…"

Sally waved him off. "Oh, Jack, I _expected_ the Doctor to be furious. I was actually surprised when he agreed not to bother me about living with you. Even when he wasn't sure about not making me come back to him, he acted like he cared about my safety more than just keeping me to himself. But it doesn't matter. I knew the moment he found out we had romantic feelings for each other that he wouldn't be able to handle it. It's _everyone else_…" Sally shook her head and moved closer to Jack, her eyes wide and the corners of her crooked mouth turned so very far down. "I'm not sure if it's 'us' that they don't like, Jack. I think it might be _me being the one you decided to be with_ that they don't like."

Jack shook his head. "No, Sally, that can't be it. There must be some logical explanation for their response. I know they seemed more concerned about the choice I was making than the choice you were making, but…" Jack tried to think of a reasonable explanation but then finally he just scowled, stopped walking, got in front of Sally, and put his hands on her shoulders. Her looked her right in the eye. "Listen to me, Sally—now, I take everyone's opinions into account about matters of the town and Halloween and all of our needs, but quite frankly I don't care what anybody has to say about my personal life. I want you, I need you, you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I want to live with you and to talk with you and to spend Halloween after Halloween side by side with you and to court you and to kiss you, only you. You brighten my life! And if anybody has a problem with that they can rouse this town into a full-blown opera about their concerns for all I care, but that won't stop me from being with you as long as you want to be with me too. Okay, Sally?" He was breathing a bit heavily now as he looked down at her, his gaze never leaving hers.

Sally just looked back up at him with wide eyes.

Then the rag doll smiled widely and suddenly dove at her skeleton man in a big hug!

"Whoa!" Jack swayed, and then both he and Sally toppled down into the snow along the side of the road. Jack ended up propped up on his arms while Sally knelt alongside him and hugged him all the more tightly.

As soon as Jack realized what had happened, he blinked and then smiled warmly and hugged her back. "I take it then that you're willing to brave the opinions of our friends as well and stay with me?"

Sally giggled, snuggling against his chest. "Oh Jack…so far I haven't let Christmas or Oogie Boogie or the Doctor or our fights or Valentine's Day or a Valentine Queen take you away from me." She looked up at him and grinned. "You can't think I'd let one bad town meeting get me down at this point. Or even 'a full-blown opera' if it came to that."

Jack chuckled. "Well then I guess it's settled." He sighed 'dramatically.' "We'll just fall into a scandalous romance together." He laughed more, looking up in thought at the starry sky overhead. "Doesn't that sound splendid? I never thought I'd be involved in one of those at all, you know."

"Funny, I always imagined you'd be right at the heart of one of those if it happened," Sally merely replied back with a smile, moving to sit beside him and lean her head on his shoulder. "I don't know if you really meant it or not earlier, Jack, when you told me you didn't understand why all the women in town want to pursue you, but I hope you do realize just how special you are as a person…and how desirable you are as a companion…as a man." She blushed purplish and smiled more, playing with her hair a little and looking down. "Will our relationship really be a scandalous romance?"

Jack's features were lily white by now. "I…" He smiled a little. "Yes, a scandalous romance, unless you'd prefer it called something different. A forbidden relationship or a star-crossed affection maybe…. Whatever we call it though, it'll cause quite a sensation." He lowered his voice and leaned a bit against her. "I feel very special actually when I'm with you, Sally. I-I don't know about desirable, but I'll tell you this much for now about my hesitation with our courtship—a part of it has been because you're so overwhelmingly attractive to me in every way that I can barley think straight around you most of the time, let alone imagine that I'm worthy enough to pursue you." Then before their conversation could continue, Jack suddenly stood up from the snow and scooped up Sally up in his arms along with him. "So it's settled then—come holiday fiascos or social upheaval, Jack and Sally are staying together forever." He winked down at her.

Sally just blinked in surprise and then clung to him more at suddenly finding herself cradled in his arms. "Jack…" She smiled, trying not to giggle. "What are you doing, silly skeleton?"

He grinned a little and shrugged. "Just helping you up from the snow, delightful dolly."

Sally grinned back up at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Oh, I bet you say that to all of the ragdolls you pledge your heart to." She giggled and winked.

Jack's skull whitened again but he just smiled more and shrugged. "No, just to the ones who are particularly perfect for me." He gave her a little hug, spun them around once, and then carefully put her down so that she was standing on the road beside him once more. He took her hand and began to lead them onward again with a sigh and a smile. "Now, let's see to the end of this 'bug' business as quickly as possible. I'd like for us to be able to go home again soon finally."

"Yes." Sally nodded and moved very close alongside him, speaking in a soft, sweet voice. "I'd love to go home too, Jack. I'm sure after all of this mess we could use a nice night together."

Jack blanched a little but smiled more. "Yes, I think we could too." He looked sheepish for a moment. "And I promise, no more avoiding touching you or hiding my feelings or ending our dates early…or, um, you know, humiliating myself by sleepwalking into your room and spouting passionate things that I think I mostly meant on some level but that I'm very grateful I can't entirely remember just yet."

Sally smiled warmly. "It's okay, Jack. Just do whatever makes you happy, but please talk to me in the future if anything concerns you—you don't need to run off to new worlds for advice, Jack. I'm right here to talk to, and I promise I'm an excellent listener." She shrugged. "You get that way after a few years of listening to the Doctor drone on and on about his accomplishments and his successes and how no one can understand his genius."

Jack chuckled a little. "I promise you, Sally…" he squeezed her hand, "from now on I'll come to you first."

"Jack?" Sally raised an eyebrow. "Can I ask…why didn't you come to me first in the first place? I understand now that you went to Valentine Town to learn about courtship, but I still don't understand why you couldn't have just learned about courtship by courting me. I always figured that was the way most people did it."

Jack took a deep breath and sighed. "Sally, if you don't mind, could I wait to explain that and everything about acting so distant to you until we get back to the house later? It's complicated, and I'd like privacy for it."

Sally smiled and nodded. "Of course, Jack. We'll talk more about that later then."

"Thank you." Jack smiled and nodded too. "Um, for now though, for what it's worth…the location and the timing might not have been ideal, but I enjoyed our kiss very much…back at the town hall…in the dark…together." His eye sockets hazed.

A dreamy look came to Sally's features. She nodded and let her fingers entwine with his. "I thought it was perfect too."

Jack smiled more. "And long overdue…" He gave Sally's cheek a kiss as they walked onward toward the gorge and Oogie's lair, and Sally's whole face brightened. They happy couple finally felt wonderful again even despite the strange results of the town meeting. As long as they were together, nothing could overcome them.

* * *

And speaking of the town meeting…

Flora wasn't sure what was happening out front in the audience exactly. All she could hear from her place behind the stage curtains was some low talking, like a calm group discussion, but that fact gave her some hope. '_Good—between Marigold and the Mayor, things must be running smoothly.'_ Indeed, Flora had an excellent feeling that the citizens were on their way to understanding things about Jack and Sally a little better and coming around about their romance.

Besides, the Heart Queen had bigger problems to attend to at the moment.

The Doctor was turning out to be quite a stubborn man, especially in his current state.

Flora sighed and tried to ask the Doctor her question again. "Doctor, you need to tell me about how you created Jewel's mind. Please. It's important."

"Jewel is my creation, the specifications of her design are…" The Doctor sighed and held his head. "They are a secret," he finally went on with a scowl. "Why do you even care about how I made Jewel, and how is that supposed to help with my headaches lately?"

Flora let out a breath, keeping her tone calm and level. "I don't know much about the biology of this place, Doctor, but I do know emotions and reason are a product of chemical reactions in the brain…and I do see that you made Jewel look an awful lot like yourself. Did you try to copy your brain somehow as well to give to her?"

Jewel spoke up now, moving out from her place behind the Doctor's chair. "Actually he gave me half of his own brain." She couldn't help but smile.

"Jewel…" The Doctor grumbled out stubbornly.

"Doctor, she's trying to help you, it makes sense to tell her what she wants to know," Jewel simply replied, gently patting his head. She frowned. "Oh Doctor why didn't you tell me your headaches had been so bad over the last few days. I could have helped you somehow."

"Mmm nothing helps," moaned out the Doctor. "And I've felt so strange too. My head's been swimming. I just—" He paused.

Jewel had just leaned down and kissed him on the cranium.

The Doctor blinked once. "Why did you do that?" he asked quietly, not looking up.

Jewel straightened up and shrugged. "Sally told me that you kissed my half of our brain when you were putting me together, and hearing that made my mental state feel very satisfactory. I was hoping if I kissed your head, it might make your mental state feel satisfactory too."

Dr. Finkelstein lifted up a hand as though he was about to say something but then put it to his temple and moaned once more. "Mmm…"

"So that's it." Flora leaned down to the Doctor's level. "You gave her half of your own brain—the left side, I'm guessing—didn't you?"

Dr. Finkelstein brought his eyes to hers and finally nodded. "Yes. So what?"

Flora sighed softly and straightened up again. "The left side is all reason and logic, the right side is all emotion and intuition. You've left both yourself and her completely mentally unbalanced. Jewel will probably start to have headaches too soon. And haven't you noticed any changes in your behavior, Doctor?"

Dr. Finkelstein considered. "Well…perhaps I'm a little less focused on my work…and I can't figure out mathematical problems as quickly, and I've been getting very worked up about things lately and very attached to silly sentimental things…and I've never worried about Sally so much before."

Flora smiled. "I can adjust this for you, Doctor. The essential problem is an excessive access to love on your end, and a too small access to love on Jewel's end. I can restore the imbalance and let you both feel things completely and think things through entirely. What do you say?"

Dr. Finkelstein looked up at her suspiciously. "And this will restore me to my usual self?"

Flora nodded. "Yes, to the best of my ability. I have a good instinct for knowing the correct emotional balances that people need. I'll ease your emotional strain and give your logic a chance to reestablish itself." Then she looked past Doctor Finkelstein. "And of course Jewel will be affected too in her own way."

Dr. Finkelstein blinked. "What will happen to her exactly?"

Jewel swallowed and frowned, moving closer to the Doctor's chair.

Flora smiled serenely at the hesitant creation. "Jewel…ever since your creation have you felt confused at times or like you couldn't express some things inside of yourself properly or like there were other things people seemed to be experiencing that you didn't seem able to experience?"

Jewel raised an eyebrow then nodded. "Oh, yes, yes, many times, especially since I started meeting people. Are you saying you can help me understand this world better?"

Flora nodded. "Yes, you'll understand this world better. I promise you."

Jewel took a breath and considered, then looked to the Doctor. "I'd like to let her help us, Doctor. I want you to feel better, and after spending time with Sally it seems like there's so much of life I'm missing. I'd like more emotions."

Dr. Finkelstein sighed. "I…well…Oooo!" He rubbed his head again, wincing in pain. "Yes, all right, please just do it," he finally beseeched Flora.

"Of course." Flora nodded and reached into a fold of her red robe. "Now, this tends to work a bit more quickly when I have the full size arrows, but the miniature ones do the job even it might take a few more minutes for things to kick in. Ah, here we go…" Flora produced a small silver case and opened it to reveal several miniature arrows set inside with very thin glass shafts filled with a liquid so dark red that it was almost black. She removed one of the arrows. "Now, normally I say this will pinch a little, but you're both technically dead and the Doctor did rip half of his own brain out of his skull at least once in the past without a problem, so I'm not really sure if that warning's relevant here." She smiled and approached the pair. "Anyway, Doctor, you first."

Doctor Finkelstein sighed and nodded.

Flora came up beside him and put the fine point of the small arrow right at the base of his skull. She then gave a light push to the arrow's tail with her thumb. The red liquid inside instantly drained into Dr. Finkelstein.

"Oh!" Dr. Finkelstein shook his skull a little. "That feels…warm. How awful!"

"Hmm," Flora tried not to laugh as she removed the spent arrow shaft to store it back in her silver case and grab a fresh one. "Living people usually enjoy the warmth. Anyway, how do you feel?"

"I…Oh…the pain's leaving…" The Doctor suddenly let out a deep sigh and settled back in his chair. "Oh Jewel, when this is over please take me home. I'd like to have a good rest—it's been days."

Jewel nodded. "Of course, Doctor. That sounds reasonable." Then she looked at Flora. "My turn?" She swallowed, eyeing the little arrow with a frown again.

Flora nodded, her smile and tone soothing, her prism eyes softly flashing. "I promise you Jewel, there will be no pain. You'll feel discomfort at the most, and it'll fade in a few seconds, all right?"

Jewel nodded. "Okay." She came forward.

Flora performed the same process at the back of Jewel's neck with the other small arrow vial.

"Oh!" Jewel straightened up as Flora took away the second empty shaft and then stored her silver case back in her robe. "Warm… That is rather strange." She turned around to Flora with a smile. Then she blinked a few times. "I…oh…I think I understand what you mean, Flora, about feelings and emotions and experiencing them now. I'm all better, and the Doctor's all better, and I feel very…very…more than good…um…happy? And relieved?" She looked to Flora for confirmation.

Flora nodded, smiling more. "Yes, I'd expect so. And very good—you're recognizing different emotions already. You'll be able to feel things just like as completely as Sally does in no time."

Jewel beamed and clapped her hands together. "Thank you! Oh, and thank you so much for helping the Doctor!" She hesitated but then went forward and hugged Flora tightly.

Flora laughed a little, hugging her back in return. "Well, I'm glad to see things are managing to progress this quickly." She pulled back a little to look at her. "You've never had a chance to experience many emotions before, so just take it slowly and do your best. Love is a very powerful force, after all."

Jewel nodded. "Of course. I will. Thank you again." She got behind the Doctor's chair to push him once more. "I'm going to take the Doctor out front to see what's going on with the rest of the meeting and to say goodbye to everyone, and then we'll head home so he can have his nap. Will you come out front and see everybody with us?"

Flora nodded. "Oh yes, I think I should help Marigold and the Mayor anyway now that we're done here. And besides, except for the Mayor and Jack and Sally and now you two, I haven't really had a chance to properly meet all of the people you have here in Halloween Town, and I'd love to make their acquaintances before Marigold and I have to leave." She sighed. "And I also think I really owe Jack a full effort from me to sort out this situation about his relationship with Sally. I hope I can help everyone here understand their love better."

"Oh what's to understand!" Dr. Finkelstein interjected with a scowl, his tone gruff. "She goes and runs off—that's bad enough, but at least it's typical and at least she's safe and not bothering anyone. But then Sally gets involved with this scandalous love affair with the Pumpkin King of all people! It's…outrageous! It makes no sense!" His lip quivered in anger.

Flora's smile fell and the rainbows in her eyes became cool silver. "Their love is _not_ scandalous, Doctor Finkelstein, or outrageous or wrong in any way. Their love is quite true, quite unbreakable, and quite meant to be. Believe me, I know these things."

Dr. Finkelstein raised an eyebrow but then replied back, "But Sally can't just…put herself so completely in the care of another person like that. She could get hurt! She's not ready for all of this excitement!"

Flora just sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, and what exactly is going to happen to her in this situation that is so awful? Sally clearly knows how she feels and how Jack feels. And Jack is your King—he must be the most irreproachable man in town. You can't possibly imagine he would do something to cause her pain or that he wouldn't be able to take care of her if she needed it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "What, will Sally 'die' from too much happiness and too much freedom and too many hugs and a few kisses?"

Dr. Finkelstein turned away, pouting a little. "Well…but…a-and I just don't understand why Jack would pick her…"

Flora came around to catch his gaze with her own. "Because, Doctor Finkelstein," she smiled, and her tone was soft again, "you created a truly brilliant and wonderful creation with Sally. She's not just some stuffed doll that can walk and talk and make tea. You created a being who has a spirit and a heart and a mind all her own. She's kind and faithful and brave and clever and affectionate. You can create totally developed life with your lab and your hands, Doctor—that's a gift, and I would treasure it and use it wisely and celebrate your success instead of trying to shelter it." She sighed and added, "But the next time you use your gift, don't forget to add the 'heart', okay?" She gestured with her head back to Jewel. "It just makes more work for me trying to fix a situation like the one you got yourself into with Jewel, and I've got a holiday of my own coming up in less than five weeks."

Dr. Finkelstein just looked at her with an eyebrow raised, speechless for a moment. Then he nodded. "I…yes, um…very well then…" He considered her words deeply. "I…I never thought about Sally that way…"

"Or Jewel?" Flora couldn't help but suggest, her smile rising on one side.

Dr. Finkelstein blinked a couple of times. "Well, of course Jewel is…different. I made her differently, I gave her part of my mind. She's…precious to me." He shrugged and looked down with another pout.

A very large smile instantly appeared on Jewel's face, and she looked down as well.

Flora nodded. "I see. Well, even if Jewel is the one who's precious to you, both of them are brilliant women. And you, Doctor, are a very brilliant creator of life. Their only big difference is that Sally chose to be someone else's 'precious' while you have Jewel as yours. There's nothing wrong with looking for her own place in the world while you and Jewel seem so content together, is there?"

The Doctor shrugged and cleared his throat. "Well, er…the situations are different but…related in a way, I suppose. So perhaps you do make a valid point. And I suppose there's not much I can do about the situation with Jack and Sally now anyway."

Flora just sighed and smiled. '_Well, it's a start_.' "Well then," she cleared her throat and straightened up to address both the Doctor and Jewel, "let's get going to see everyone out front. Come along!" She went forward and pulled back the curtain to allow Jewel to push the Doctor through to the stage and then down into the crowd.

Jewel took up the Doctor's chair handles and nodded, still beaming as she came forward with him. "Thank you very much, Heart Queen. Um…you've been so nice and I…appreciate it and feel grateful for it?" She looked to her for approval of her emotional words again.

Flora nodded. "Very good. In no time at all you'll be in touch with every emotion you have." She winked.

Jewel giggled as they all went forward together out to the stage. "I can't wait!" '_I'll finally understand exactly how I feel about the Doctor, and then I'm sure I can come up with what to do about it!' _she thought to herself with joy.

Flora followed after the pair and smiled to herself. _'Now then, to see about making sure Jack and Sally's love has a place in this world_…' She came out to the front of the stage now and approached Marigold and the Mayor…and smiled more to see the two of them smiling and the other citizens talking with far less agitation than before: all good signs that Jack and Sally's love was finally settling into its place in this Halloween world.

* * *

Back with the Pumpkin King and his rag doll dearest friend, the pair were still walking along on the outskirts of town and now had another companion—Zero floating along with them. As one of their only allies regarding their relationship, having the little ghost dog for extra company had just seemed appropriate, and so Jack had given a whistle while he and Sally had been passing the graveyard, and sure enough Zero had popped out from his headstone and joined his master and new mistress. And now as he floated along with them he nuzzled Jack and then Sally and sometimes nuzzled right between them at once, further lightening the mood.

And meanwhile, Jack and Sally had a chance to talk calmly now about their visit to the gorge.

"Sally…" Jack scratched Zero with his free hand and squeezed Sally's hand with the one still holding hers, "back at the town hall, it's not that I didn't want you to come with me to check on the lair. In fact, to be honest, I always want you with me a little bit now." Jack swallowed, looking down a little. "I just wanted to go by myself. Do you understand?" He glanced at her.

Sally raised an eyebrow but then bit her lower lip and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jack, not quite. Would you mind explaining it to me?"

Jack smiled a little and nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry, I guess I can be a little too private sometimes. I'm just so used to always being alone." He cleared his throat. "But, anyway, when I said I wanted you to stay in town instead of coming with me to Oogie's lair, it wasn't because I thought you'd be a burden or that you couldn't handle it or that I was trying to exclude you. I asked to go by myself because, along with checking on the bug situation, I just wanted to have a moment alone there to think about everything that happened with Christmas and Oogie Boogie and to give myself some closure about it, that's all."

Sally blinked. "Oh. I think I understand, Jack." She smiled. "Thank you for letting me know." But then she frowned a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you take me along. I guess I was feeling a little stubborn. Do you still want some time alone at the gorge? I could wait somewhere else, like in the graveyard or by Spiral Hill," she offered.

Jack just shook his skull though, still smiling. "No, no, it's all right. Besides, after that town meeting I think we need to be together for each other. Could I make one request though?"

Sally nodded. "Of course, Jack."

"Would you mind waiting on the bridge while I go down into the gorge to the lair alone?" he explained with a sigh. "Just in case something does happen it'll be helpful to have someone up there who can run back to town for help, and either way there's really no need for two people to check things out inside of the lair…and I really would like a moment alone in there if possible, like I said." Jack's eye sockets looked forward and down in thought.

Sally considered and nodded. "Yes, I'll stay at the bridge. But be careful." She squeezed his hand and moved closer to him, trying to smile a little to lighten the mood. "We just got back together—it would be a shame if anything happened to one of us now."

Jack nodded, trying to smile a little too. "I'll be very careful. Like I promised you, I'll do my best to take the very best care of myself from now on. And especially with you to come home to each day, I'll certainly have motivation." He nuzzled his skull against her hair.

Sally smiled more, nuzzling him back. "That'll be nice. Every day together…"

Jack chuckled a little. "Yes, I imagine it will. Every day we'll scandalously dash down from our house and sing songs through the town, you'll come with me to town hall and we'll hold hands while we Halloween plan, and then I'll hold all your threads and needles while you sew things. And at the end of the day, I'll kiss your hand and scoop you up in my arms right in front of everyone to carry you home. Oh, we'll have the town singing in surprise for years to come." He laughed.

Sally didn't laugh though. She just looked down with her eyes bright and her cheeks a reddish purple and a big beaming smile on her face.

Jack noticed her silence and gave her a curious grin. "Sally?" He laughed a little more. "Does the idea of our forbidden relationship appeal to you that much?"

Sally shook her head. "No." then she nodded. "I mean yes…" Then she giggled, "I mean…" she sighed softly and looked down entirely, "You called your house…_our_ house."

"Arf!" Zero nodded with a smile and his nose glowed.

Sally went on. "You did it once before but we were fighting and I didn't want to say anything, but as long as we're not fighting now, I…well…do you really think of it as 'our' house now?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at first, but then he thought for a moment and realized she was right. He blanched and smiled quite a bit himself. "Yes, I have started calling it 'our house' now, haven't I? And Zero seems to approve of that change too." He swallowed, his voice quieting. "You know, I have a very strong attachment to you, Sally…a very strong affection. And I really can't imagine my life now without you to come home to each day." His voice grew softer still. "I'm sorry if that's all a bit sudden and a bit much, I just can't help myself. And I've decided to start being very open and very honest with you now…and that's the start of it."

She just smiled at him so curiously. Then Sally giggled and shook her head. "Silly, silly skeleton…you act like I don't feel exactly the same way about you." She let her voice lower too, talking near his ear. "I've longed to be close to you from the moment I met you, Jack Skellington. By now I couldn't bear to be apart from you either." She sighed. "On Christmas Eve when we thought you were dead, I…"

Jack kissed her cheek. Then he pulled back and whispered into her ear. "I know…I'm sorry, and I know. I felt it too, hearing your screams from the top of the gorge. I didn't know what I'd find down there, whether or not it would be too late to save you…what Oogie might have done to you besides killing you and Sandy." He sighed. "All I know is that I've never felt as angry as I felt that night when I saw Oogie." His looked down a little. "That's why I need a moment now—to deal with that anger and what I did with it. I never…hurt another being like what I did to Oogie on Christmas Eve, and I don't know what it says about me that I could do such a thing."

Sally's eyes went wide in surprise. "You…you feel guilty about Oogie Boogie?" The fact hit her, and she was surprised she hadn't considered it before. Then again so much had happened that night. But still, now that she thought about it, Sally could recall how much the sight of Oogie's bugs and burlap falling into the oil vat had frightened her, and how she had caught a glance of Jack's face during that creature's demise. But Jack hadn't looked frightened, had he? No, there had just been this dark scowl on his features the likes of which she had never seen.

Jack swallowed, still looking down and forward now too. "Oh, I feel guilty about a lot more than just Oogie Boogie. All on a whim, even if I was going through a bit of a personal crisis, I derailed this entire town for two months, nearly killed a holiday leader, nearly got myself killed, nearly got you…" He couldn't say it. "I've apologized to the town for it, I've apologized to Santa for it, I've learned my lesson from it. But I never harmed a citizen until Christmas Eve, Sally. I know it might have been the only way to stop Oogie Boogie." He shook his head. "He was always unhinged, always deranged…Evil. He wanted to lead this town, wanted us to do unspeakable things. I tried to lock him away, but he's a corrupting force. And if I had to make the decision again, I wouldn't change anything." He sighed. "I just think going back there, having a moment to myself might help me accept things and might let Oogie rest in peace. And maybe I want to mourn a little too. I didn't just not like Oogie—I also felt bad for him. He was every truly bad aspect of Halloween all rolled up into one person. No wonder it drove him mad. I think the least I can do is make sure that lair can't hurt anybody else and offer him some condolences."

Sally had just been watching him as they walked on, her eyes wide, tears threatening to fall. Even Zero frowned, his nose glow dimming. "Jack…" she spoke again now, "I know you feel bad about the responsibility you took on with this. But just remember you're such a good man, Jack—you love all of us so much, even the person who hated you most. I think you're very noble." She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

Jack sighed softly. "And I think I truly love having a dearest friend to talk with, Sally. It helps."

Jack and Sally managed to smile a little.

Then the pair finally came in sight of the old town bridge now.

As they came to the edge of the gorge, Jack separated from Sally.

Jack went to the side of the gorge opposite the one Jewel had slipped down and, as expected, he found the platform attached to a rope that the trick-or-treaters had used to lower themselves and the Mayor down to the window leading to Oogie's lair on Christmas Eve night. He knew that was the easiest way in. Before settling himself on the platform though, Jack glanced back to Sally. "Sally, just out of curiosity, do you have any feelings or intuition about what I might find down there?"

Sally blinked at the question. But then she looked down into the gorge and considered. "It does look scary, all of that darkness, but I don't sense anything bad—at least nothing like I used to sense whenever I'd come near here on my own in the past."

Jack smiled a little. "Oh, good, that's—" And then he paused and blinked. "Why would you ever come around here alone in the past? Sally, that's horribly dangerous."

Sally looked down, holding her hands in front of herself. "I…" She sighed and looked up at him. "Jack, I'd rather wait until later to explain something like that to you. Maybe when we're back at the house and settled in? It's all a very long story."

Jack raised an eyebrow but then nodded to her. "Of course, Sally, if that's what you want." He moved closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm here for you to talk about whatever you want whenever you want, my dearest friend."

Sally smiled up at him. "Thank you, dearest Jack."

Jack smiled in return. Then he took a breath and separated from her to turn to the gorge again. "If you don't have any bad feelings about this place, then this shouldn't take long. Just wait up here for about fifteen minutes. If I'm not back up by then…I'll leave the decision up to you, Sally: either go get help from the town with Zero or send him along and come down there to check on me yourself. But I think that even if I take a little extra time, I'll still be fine."

Sally nodded. "I think you'll be fine too, Jack. Good luck." She smiled.

Jack looked to her with a smile as well. Then he stepped onto the platform and began to lower himself down on the rope into the inky darkness below while Sally looked on from above with Zero at her side.

* * *

Several minutes later, in the lower depths of the gorge, Jack reached the window and dropped himself down into Oogie Boogie's lair.

The Pumpkin King stood up and dusted himself off then glanced around with a frown. "Oh dear…what a mess."

The place was in shambles, of course. After all, Jack had destroyed half of Oogie's booby traps during Christmas Eve. Spare parts and gears and saw blades and bullets randomly were scattered about, half the lights were flickering or dead, the central spinning blade device still hung suspended in the center of the room with Oogie's burlap wrapped around it, and in the middle of things the vat of burning oil had cooled and congealed into a thick, green, gelatinous mixture in which could still be seen the bodies of many dead bugs.

Jack sighed as he walked around, talking to himself a little. "An utter torture chamber. I should never have promised him that I would leave him alone if he left the town alone—he had all this time to build and plot." Jack tried to look over everything very evenly and yet his eyes couldn't help moving again and again to that large blade machine knotted up with burlap. He mumbled to himself. "We probably still could bring you back, you know…. Cut down that cloth, gather some new bugs, give you one more chance…" Jack shook his head at the thought though and finally broke his gaze away from the sight. "But maybe it's better to leave you put out of your misery. I should actually demolish this place properly before I have the gorge filled in, just in case."

Jack began to look around the walls now and especially near the pipe entrance leading up to Lock, Shock, and Barrel's tree house, searching for clues about the bugs. He failed to see anything suspicious though. After several minutes, he let out a sigh and turned to sit with his back against the wall where the pipe came out. "Maybe some bugs just escaped from here Christmas Eve night, and they all came up the pipe already. I suppose then there really is nothing more to do about the matter except to find a place for them to live where they won't be able to cause harm or be harmed. I don't know, I…"

_Chirrup._

The littlest sound met Jack's ears. He blinked and glanced to his side.

From a crack in the wall, a large cricket-like bug with big eyes peeked out hesitantly.

Jack eyed it curiously and smiled. "Hello there. I've been looking for bugs. Are there more of you?"

_Chirrup. Chirrup._

A couple more heads peaked out, these appearing to belong to smaller versions of the same bug. All three creatures were just looking at the Pumpkin King curiously.

Jack turned himself more toward them. _'These couldn't be Oogie's bugs—those things were always engrained with his personality. They would have attacked me by now_.' "Ah, I see you have a family." He smiled a little. "Now, where did you all come from?" They were peeping out from behind a loose stone. As Jack put his hands on the stone to move it, the three bugs cowered a little and started to shake.

Jack stopped and spoke to them again. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. No one is going to hurt you anymore." Jack recalled Oogie's habit of eating bugs live—a cruel pastime, in his opinion. He slowly removed the stone only to see a few dozen bugs of all colors, large and small in size and with big expressive eyes, huddling together in a little hollow place.

Jack looked down at them. '_The bugs Lock Shock and Barrel had looked just like these and they didn't attack either. None of these bugs haven't been tainted by Oogie Boogie_.' A thought occurred to him, and he addressed the creatures again. "Are you the survivors of the bugs Lock, Shock, and Barrel would cage and shove down here? Or…are you a snack Oogie set aside for later?" Jack frowned as their continuing looks of misery answered his question easily. He sighed and shook his head, gathering up a piece of scrap metal bent like a basin. "All of you, please come in here. I'll take you back up to the surface. I promise you, you're safe now and everything will be okay." Jack had to gently guide the bugs into the basin with his hand. Once they were all safely inside, he smiled down at them. "I'll bring you to your friends, and we'll let you go in the pumpkin patch. This far after Halloween it'll be a smorgasbord of soft pumpkins to eat. Besides, we need to get rid of the last batch of pumpkins to make room for the new batch." The 'chirrups' of the bugs became gentler. Jack gave them a nod.

Then, his prize in hand, the Pumpkin King decided to take one more lingering walk around the lair.

Jack sighed to himself. "Well, I suppose that's it then. Sally was right, nothing suspicious, nothing bad here, just a little problem and one I am grateful to fix before filling in the gorge." He sighed softly as he looked at the broken remains of this place. He shook his head.

Jack came back to the large gelled-over oil vat now and his eyes finally returned to that twisted slicing machine high up in the air with Oogie's burlap wrapped all around it. He swallowed and then spoke softly. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you to be happier, Oogie. I'm sorry you could only see the evil side to Halloween and none of the fun or the joy. And I'm sorry I destroyed you. I have to keep everyone safe, Oogie, that's my job. You went too far, so I had to go a little too far, but now it's over." He took a deep breath. "While I'm still in a very calm and forgiving mood, I want to promise you that I'll put up a small headstone for you in the graveyard. It's the least I could do. And I also promise you that I'll try to think on you as little as possible. I don't have any fond memories of you." He scowled a little. "And I have a feeling I'll only want to have the blackest thoughts regarding you once I find out from Sally whatever it was she had to do to get down here when she tried to save Santa…. So I think it's just best if I don't think on you much at all, for both of our sakes. I've found love, and I want my heart to be filled only with love from now on." Jack took another deep breath to calm himself and then walked casually away toward the wall with the window exit. "This lair will be demolished shortly, the pipeline will be gone and your gorge will be a swamp. Oh, and Sally will be receiving your part of the song in our Halloween parade—I think I may have just the role for her actually." He was at the wall now and prepared to negotiate how he would get up to the window with his bugs safely in hand. "Goodbye, Oogie Boogie. Rest in Peace," he said quietly to himself, pausing one more moment in the darkness.

Suddenly a rope with a loop at the bottom dropped down right in front of him.

Jack blinked and looked up to see that the rope was coming from the little window, and that Sally had dropped it down to him.

Sally leaned in and waved down to Jack. "If you're ready you can come up now, Jack. The fifteen minutes passed, and I decided to send Zero for help while I came down here to check on you. He went to go get the trick-or-treaters since they're nearby in their tree house." She frowned, concern coming to her eyes. "Is everything all right down there?"

Jack nodded and stepped into the loop while holding the rope with is free hand. "Yes, everything's okay. And thank you for coming for me, Sally. Are you sure you can pull me up?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. I made a pulley system with the hook holding up the platform, so it shouldn't be too hard." She grabbed the rope end and pulled, and slowly Jack rose.

A few moments later Jack was at the level of the window and he hopped onto the platform with Sally, his metal basin of bugs still in hand. He smiled at Sally and showed her what he had. "I think these were either bugs that escaped from Oogie before he could eat them. They're innocent, just scared. I've decided to let them go in the pumpkin patch along with the rest of the bugs Lock, Shock, and Barrel caught where there's plenty of food. Then we'll fill in the gorge as planned."

Sally frowned at the sight of all of the scared bugs. She recalled how frightened she had felt when Shock had nearly thrown her hand down into that lair and imagined how scared the bugs must have been being down there too. She nodded. "I think that's an excellent plan, Jack. We'll go up right now and let Lock, Shock, and Barrel know."

Jack nodded, then set the basin of bugs on the platform and held out his hand for the rope. "Allow me, Sally. You pulled me up, the least I can do is pull both of us up together."

Sally nodded and smiled as she handed him the end of the rope. "Okay, Jack. I'll hold the bugs for you if you want." She took the basin, and smiled down at the creatures. "It's all right, Jack and I will make sure you're safe and that no one will eat any of you." The bugs actually gave sweet little coos now.

Jack smiled warmly at the sight. Then he began to pull them all up to the surface.

Sally was quiet for a moment. She bit her lip and then finally asked softly, "Did you have the moment you needed, Jack?"

Jack glanced away. He sighed and nodded. "Yes, and I feel better for it. I really do."

Sally smiled a little. "Jack…? I…I didn't mean to overhear, I swear, it's just the fifteen minutes passed and so I decided to come down, and then I was waiting for you, and I only heard the very end, and—"

"It's okay, Sally," Jack assured her softly, looking to her again. "I thought you might have overheard something anyway."

Sally sighed. "I just wanted you to know that I thought what you said was beautiful, and I admire your forgiveness, Jack, I do." She frowned. "I'm not even sure I have that much forgiveness in me…for Oogie or anybody else."

Jack frowned a little as well. "It's not easy to have that much forgiveness, Sally. All I can say is that it helps to remember that everyone makes mistakes and that a lot of times when people do something bad it's either because they don't know any better or because they've been unfortunate enough to have little love and caring in their lives. But if you can forgive them and let it go, they'll probably end up much more at peace and so will you." Jack swallowed, and his voice lowered. "I don't know what the Doctor and then Oogie Boogie did to you exactly, Sally, but if it'll take you time to forgive them, that's perfectly fine. And in the meantime, if you want to talk to me about any of it, I'm here for you, and I promise not to make things worse by getting myself all worked up. I'll just listen and comfort you, my Sally."

She just swallowed and nodded. "Yes, yes, I'd like that, my dearest friend, Jack…" she smiled softly to herself. Then she laughed a little and looked up at him, her eyes hazed. "You know, I think you're the most wonderful man in the world, Jack, and if I wasn't worried about you dropping the rope, I'd have another passionate kiss with you right now."

Jack blinked a couple of times and then a little smile came to his lips as he continued to pull up the platform. "Well, yes, maybe just right now isn't the best time—hands seem to be involved in kissing somehow. You know, I never knew that until we kissed. The whole thing's very physical, it would make for interesting experiments." He looked down. "I-I mean, not 'experiments,' just observations, I guess. Heh, you should have seen what I saw some people doing in Valentine's Town and…" The Pumpkin King was blanching completely by this point in his rambling, and now he finally just swallowed and took a deep breath. "Sorry, Sally. I get flustered sometimes talking about intimate things."

Sally just giggled warmly. "It's all right, Jack. Yes, kissing is very intimate. And touching does seem to be part of it." She played with some strands of her hair. "But touching like that is very nice, though, don't you think?" She gazed at him again.

"Oh yes…" Jack sighed deeply. "I get nervous sometimes but yes, touching is lovely." He finally looked up at her again, his eye sockets hazed as well.

Sally was just sitting there with her legs adorably pulled partly underneath herself and a warm smile on her face and a little light blush on her cheeks. '_So lovely_…' He had a brief image of lying in the grass with her in some private knoll of Lovers Lane and holding her while she giggled and they kissed lightly and said sweet things to each other in whispers.

"Jack, can I ask something?" Sally's soft voice interrupted his thoughts for the moment. She played with her hair more. "Sometimes when you're around me, your skull turns a little pale. Is that how you 'blush'?" She raised an eyebrow.

Jack blinked and sure enough he blanched a little more. He shrugged. "Yes. Of course, I never had much reason to blush until lately, but yes. I don't have blood, so instead the marrow in my bones warms up a little and rushes to my skull and makes me look paler for a moment."

She smiled more. "It's very cute. I like it."

Jack grinned distinctly. "Oh. Thanks."

They both looked at each other for a moment and then just burst into warm laughter.

The pair finally reached the top of the bridge now.

"Ugh, tell me you two spent the entire time down there flirting instead of getting any work done! What did you two do—make Oogie Boogie gag at your cuteness until he was in submission?" an impatient Shock questioned, tapping her foot as she waited with the other boys and their bathtub of bugs near the bridge with Zero.

Jack just smiled and shook his head as he tied off the rope against the bridge, alighted onto the ground and then helped Sally with the bugs off of the platform. "No, no, though that was my backup plan." He laughed a little, then sighed and gestured to what he had discovered down in the lair. "No Oogie Boogie, no mass of evil bugs trying to reassemble itself into him. It's just the last of these poor creatures that were down there." He scowled a little the trick-or-treaters. "I'm sure you must remember them—I'm guessing the three of you sent each one of them down that pipeline in your tree house to their doom."

Lock glanced away innocently. "Uh, well, maybe one or two…"

"But just sometimes! And we'd put them in cages for…uh…their safety, yeah, that was it!" Barrel grinned.

Shock rolled her eyes. "Hey, Oogie Boogie was a big guy with a big appetite—we had to feed him _something_!"

Jack just shook his head, his scowl softening. "Well, the point is there will be no more torturing these poor creatures. I know we all like the occasional spider stew or worms au gratin or moth tea, but these kind of large Halloween Town bugs are much more like pets. And we haven't had a good population of them around here in a very long time, once again, I'm assuming, because of three trick-or-treating harvesters." He eyed the children.

The three kids just shrugged 'innocently'. Then Lock stepped forward, "So, anyway, Jack, what are we supposed to do with the bugs now?"

"Yeah, we're getting tired of all this back and forth between here and the town—we've got mischief to make!" Shock pointed out.

"Yeah, what she said!" Barrel nodded with a lick of his lollipop.

Jack smiled. "Of course, of course, but I just need your help in one more way. Please follow Sally and I with your bathtub to the pumpkin patch. We're going to release the bugs in there where they should be safe and happy, and then you three can feel free to go on your way. Maybe you can even catch the end of the town meeting if it's still going on. Come on, Sally." Jack hooked arms with her. "Let's all go."

"Arf!" Zero did a circle in the air and then flew out in front to guide everybody.

The group began to march on.

Shock hopped onto the edge of the tub for a ride. "Oh fine, Jack, we'll help get the stupid bugs to the pumpkin patch. Ugh, but we're not going back to that dumb town meeting after this."

"Yeah," Lock agreed. "Those people have no sense of humor. I mean, you go up on that stage two months ago singing about shiny bows and jolly decorations, and everyone goes for it. Then you go up there tonight and tell them you've got a girlfriend, and they act like you just suddenly found out you were alive or something."

"Mmm hmm," Barrel nodded with another his lollipop. "Didn't even laugh at you, just acted all disappointed. What's this town coming to? Heh, Shock told them off good though."

Jack and Sally blinked and looked to Shock, who cut them off at the pass. "Hey, hey, don't think I did it because I felt bad for the two of you or anything." She crossed her arms over her chest, her nose up in the air. "I just can't stand to see a good joke fall flat all because everyone has to be so dramatic. Besides, Jack, you and Sally being together means you finally have someone to drag you out of the house every once and a while the other three hundred and sixty four days a year besides Halloween and someone to pawn off all your sappiness on so you don't have to bother the rest of us with it anymore. Now if she can only convince you to start acting scary more of the time, I say Jack and Sally forever!"

"Jack and Sally forever!" the two boys cheered with grins, holding up their pitchfork and lollipop respectively. "Ow!"

Shock bopped them with her broom. "Aw, quit kissing up, you idiots!"

The three children grumbled a little but then went back to walking along peacefully.

Jack and Sally just watched them and tried not to laugh too much.

"I think this is a nice sign, Jack," Sally whispered into Jack's ear with a hopeful smile. "Maybe if the three of them can accept us this much, the rest of the town can come around too."

Jack nodded. "Maybe you're right. Even if it takes everyone else a while, if the trick-or-treaters can like us being together then anyone can." He smiled. "And they even stood up for us in their own way. Hmm, maybe I'm better with children than thought."

Sally smiled more and leaned a little against him. "Speaking of children, we should go see the ones in Valentine's Town one day. I'd like that, Jack. And to go see all of these couples you started telling me about before." She giggled a little.

Jack's grin picked up on one side. "Oh, yes, we could do that if you wanted. Besides, there's a place there I'd like you to see. It's called Lovers Lane. People kiss in all sorts of ways there."

"It's a date then, Jack." Sally kissed his cheek.

Naturally, the three trick-or-treaters walking behind them made various gagging sounds at the gesture, but Jack and Sally only smiled more.

And so the whole group headed onward, first to the pumpkin patch and then home for the evening.

* * *

Sometime just after the town meeting had broken up, Jewel was just pushing Doctor Finkelstein home and marveling at her new sense of clarity and at how much better she felt as a living being now. '_When I have to make sure the doctor eats his dinner on time even when he's being fussy about wanting to work on his experiments, I feel…awkward for bothering him but determined to make sure he takes care of himself and happy when he eats and then thanks me for the meal. When Igor tries to get out of taking a bath after I already gave him cake for agreeing to do it, I feel frustrated but I also feel like I still care for him, and then whenever he does keep his promise to take a bath I feel proud that he listened to me. When I found Sally, I felt joyful that I had another creation to share with and to get to know. When I saw the Pumpkin King for the first time, I felt relieved that he would save me and I felt reverence for his title. And when the other townspeople acted so upset about Jack and Sally being together, I felt sad and disappointed right along with Jack and Sally.'_ She considered some more. '_But now I feel happy that everything might turn out all right in the end, and I'm very thrilled to go home with the Doctor and go back to our normal lives. And I'm excited about the idea of Jack and Sally visiting soon.'_

Jewel came out of her thoughts as the Doctor spoke up from his chair. He had been resting as she had taken him through town, and now they were in sight of the manor. "Jewel, please put me in my room and bring me soup and tea. I want to go to bed right away tonight. I'm very tired."

Jewel nodded. "Of course, Doctor. I'm so happy you're feeling better now. I'll care for you as much as you need."

"Thank you, my precious Jewel." The Doctor let out a sigh of relief. "How are you handling your new emotions, by the way? Not planning to run off with any holiday kings or anything?" He almost laughed a little.

Jewel blinked and then felt warm in her face. She shook her head. "No, of course not, Doctor. I could never leave you. We're so close and so similar. And I feel so strongly for you."

"Hmm…" The Doctor sighed. "Good. I've always wanted a faithful companion. Precious Jewel? Promise me if you ever become restless like Sally did that you'll talk with me about it first and not just run away. I just…don't want to be left alone…for, um, practical reasons." He cleared his throat.

Jewel nodded. "Of course, Doctor. I'll talk to you about my feelings." She smiled. "I'd like that very much. And I won't leave you alone. Never." She reached up and gently touched his cranium, rubbing it slightly.

"Oh…" The Doctor sighed deeply, closing his eyes. "Thank you, my precious Jewel."

Jewel sighed softly too. "Oh Doctor, you're welcome. I…I…" The feeling she always had about the Doctor, it was becoming clear to her, and she wanted to recognize it. She was certain she'd know the logical way to proceed if she recognized it. "I…Oh." There it was. "I love you, Doctor."

"…What did you just say?"

Jewel had never heard the Doctor take that tone before. It was very cold, and it made her feel worry a little. But she still smiled—it was such a happy thing to love another! "I love you, Doctor. Or, the right way to say it might be that I'm in love with you. I just didn't realize that's what it was until right now, otherwise I would have told you sooner." Jewel considered. "Hmm, people in love usually do something to show that love, don't they? Jack and Sally decided to live together. But we already live together…. Oh, would you like to get married, Doctor?" She smiled brightly.

Jewel wheeled the Doctor toward the gate, but he didn't say anything. "Doctor?" she tried.

Jewel wheeled the Doctor up the drive to the manor, but he still didn't say anything.

Jewel wheeled the Doctor into the house. Still nothing.

When they got to the ramp leading upstairs, he held up his hand though, signaling her to stop.

Jewel did stop. '_I feel confused_,' she realized.

The Doctor finally spoke now. "I'll take myself to my room. I won't be needing you for the rest of the night. And I won't be needing you for breakfast in the morning. See to Igor." He began to wheel himself away.

Jewel just watched him go. "Goodnight, Doctor," she called up to him softly. 'Goodnight, my Precious Jewel,' was always what he said to her no matter what kind of day they'd had together.

The Doctor paused in wheeling his chair. "Hmm…" He made a slight grunt under his breath, didn't turn around, and then wheeled himself upstairs the rest of the way.

Jewel lowered her hand as she watched him go. She continued watching, even when he was out of sight.

A few moments passed in the dim lower room of the manor. Then Jewel noticed a change. Her face felt cold and wet in some places. She touched her face and pulled back her fingers to examine what was happening. "Water?" She thought to herself. "Oh…tears. I'm crying. I…I must be very, very sad." She frowned more as she felt the tears growing stronger.

Before the sadness overtook her, Jewel dashed to room, shut herself in and curled up on her bed. She spent the better part of the night crying softly and trying to understand her own feelings and what the Doctor's feelings might be.

Jewel only felt at all better when at one point Igor found her and came in and patted her on the shoulder. Igor remembered doing that for Sally sometimes when she would get sad, and to him it seemed to have always made Sally happy again, and now it seemed to work on Jewel too.

Yet, just like Sally, after a little while Jewel went back to being sad and crying in the dark.

Igor sighed to himself and shook his head. He hoped Sally would come back soon, or that the Doctor would stop being so good at making nice ladies and then making them sad. For now, Igor just stayed on the floor in Jewel's room and fell asleep hoping once more that everything would be better soon.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! Sorry for ending on the sad note with Jewel and the Doctor, but I promise things'll get better soon for them. In the meantime, next chapter Flora and Marigold make their exit (until the epilogue), and Jack and Sally finally get a chance to sit down and talk about their relationship a little bit. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for reading! And have lovely holidays!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	21. Home Sweet Home

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for being patient about updates to this story—the last few months have been very full for me, and there's just been so much to take care of, especially with the holidays ^^ But there are only four chapters left, and I should be able to update every other week from now on until things are all finished (also, please pretend this was posted last night (Sunday) which makes it technically last week—sorry, I dozed off last night before I could get it up ^^). Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and please review! Thanks! ^_^

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 21:**

**Home Sweet Home**

* * *

Back in the town, the citizens had had a very interesting and productive meeting together, guided here and there by advice and explanations from Flora and Marigold. And in the end, the Halloween townsfolk had found a new perspective on the Jack and Sally situation and come to a decision. Soon enough they had a message written up for their King and his new lady friend, and the Mayor was tasked with delivering it. He even offered Flora and Marigold a ride in the town's car so that he could drop them off at the holiday forest after quickly stopping by Jack's house. The two ladies had accepted the ride very graciously, and Flora had even added a small note from herself to go with the Mayor's delivery.

The Mayor had pulled the hearse up to the Skellington house a couple of minutes ago. Not seeing anybody at home though (the Mayor wasn't surprised—who knew when Jack might be finished with the bug situation, after all?), he had slipped the town's letter and the note from Flora into Jack's mailbox. Then he drove off again, Flora in the backseat and Marigold seated beside him.

"I'm sorry you two ladies had to see our town in such a confusing state," the Mayor apologized, his sad face coming around to the front. "Things have been more chaotic than usual around here ever since this past Halloween." He glanced over his shoulder. "You say now that Jack and Sally are together, things will be better, right, Queen Flora?"

Flora nodded. "Absolutely." She smiled and clasped her hands together gently in her lap as she explained. "Jack has been ready for love for a very long time, Mayor. He just didn't realize it until he knew Sally was willing to give him that love. They'll provide each other with great happiness and satisfaction. Your King will be even better than usual soon enough." The Heart Queen sighed softly, gazing out at the strange gothic landscape. "It's lonely being the leader, Mayor, even if none of the holiday Kings or myself like to talk about that aspect of the job. Everyone needs you to be a certain way so that the town and holiday can run smoothly. But sometimes you just want to be yourself. Sally will give Jack a chance to be himself." She smiled more as she turned her gaze back to the front seat. "And Jack will give Sally all of the care and affection and freedom she deserves."

The Mayor's sad face remained for a moment longer. "Yes, that might be for the best, especially if they're happier together than they are apart." His face then flipped to its happy look as he looked forward again. "This is going to be a first for us to deal with though—an in love Jack Skellington." He laughed. "Hmm, you two should see him with the ladies normally. He attracts all of their attention without even trying and then politely turns every single one of them down. It should be interesting seeing how he behaves now."

"He's a very mellow and sweet man in love from what I've seen, I assure you," Marigold remarked beside him as she finished taking a few notes on a pad with a golden quill. "Meanwhile, I've got _this one_ in the back to worry about in the future." She jerked the quill back over her shoulder before resuming her writing. "When she falls in love, prepare for another holiday fiasco—I can almost guarantee it."

Flora smirked and waved her off. "Oh, it won't be so bad, Mari. Quite painless probably for the mistress of love." She held her head a little high. "And in the meantime, I still have to find a proper companion for _you_."

Marigold sighed as she finished writing a line and looked up. "Ignore her, please. She's a helpless matchmaker, and it's almost Valentine's Day, I'm surprised she was able to limit herself to setting up only two couples in your world during the time she's been here."

The Mayor nodded. "Oh, well, that's…" Then he paused, and his sad face came around again. "_Two_ couples? Oh dear, I don't have to go through another town meeting, do I? There have been so many of those in the last few months, I'm not sure if I can handle another one so suddenly."

Flora laughed warmly. "Don't worry, Mayor. The second couple will take care of itself, I promise." She winked.

"That I can guarantee you, Mayor," Marigold added. "Flora's never wrong about these things." She turned to the Mayor with a smile as his happy face returned, then she went on. "Now then, I've taken some preliminary notes to help with planning the first inter-holiday council meeting soon. I'm sure you and I and the other advisors will be seeing each other regularly beforehand to set that up. And then I've listed some ideas for our own advisors-only board meeting, which I think will be very helpful for coordinating holiday festivities in the off season and also for figuring out ways to improve our relationships with the leaders we serve. We could even try working out an exchange program for the sake of spreading cultural awareness and learning more about each other's techniques for running our towns. What do you think?"

The Mayor nodded to Marigold. "Oh well, certainly, that all sounds fine. And thank you so much for organizing it all so well. It's very much appreciated. I can't tell you how glad to know now that there are other advisors in the other holiday worlds."

"Yes…" Flora leaned over the back seat a little and grinned at her own advisor. "And Marigold's one of the best. Punctual and precise and capable—and totally unattached, by the way—sharp, creative, and very responsible."

"Flora…." A light blush entered Marigold's features.

"Isn't she adorable when she blushes? Or horrible rather?" Flora had to laugh softly as she sat back again.

Marigold took a breath and rubbed one of her temples. "When we get home, you are embroidering every single final doily we need by hand even if it takes you all night and even if I have to watch you do it personally."

Flora just smirked a little but did nod. "As you wish, Magistrate Marigold."

Marigold rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Mayor. She really does get carried away just before our holiday. I think the moon shifts phase into the seventh house or something, and then she's giddy as a cherub really. She'll probably be trying to pawn me off on all of the advisors soon enough." She glanced at the Mayor and blushed a little more as she noticed his sad face on now. "Mayor? Is something wrong?"

"Oh…no." He shrugged. "Well…it's just…Jack's not a matchmaker, but the thought just occurred to me that…if all the women in town don't have him to throw themselves at anymore, I might be next in line. Jack's so much better at dealing with attention like that. I cannot handle that kind of pressure. I'm really just an elected official!" He sighed. "I'm very glad Jack's going to be so happy with Sally, but I wish he would think of these things."

Marigold just looked at him with wide eyes and an eyebrow raised for a moment. And then she couldn't help herself—her lip curled up at one end in a smile and she laughed.

In the back seat, Flora raised an eyebrow and smiled warmly.

The Mayor looked to Marigold. "It's really not a laughing matter. I know it's just the three of them, but you have no idea how ruthless the witches and Undersea Gal can be. I'll never figure out how Jack was ever able to stay one step ahead of them. And then what if Jewel starts in now too?"

"Erm, I can personally guarantee Jewel will not be starting in," Flora had to assure from the back, smiling more.

Meanwhile, Marigold finished laughing and wiped a tear from her eye behind her half moon glasses. "I'm sorry, Mayor, truly. It's just, coming from our world, that's such an unusual thing to hear somebody be worried about—_too much_ affection. And besides, I'm sure you'd be just as capable of handling that kind of attention as Jack, maybe even more so. And I'm sure any of the women would be very lucky to have you."

"Oh." The Mayor looked down a little. "Well…thank you." He sighed. "Forgive me for saying so, but your holiday must be terribly complicated dealing with an emotion like love. Fear makes so much more sense." He hesitated, and then slowly his happy face turned around. "Maybe Jack's right and it's good we might have a chance to meet the other holidays formally now. It's hard for us here to understand anything outside of Halloween, but it wasn't so bad to try with Christmas and maybe we could learn a lot from the other holidays too. And if we could all visit, maybe the witches and Undersea Gal could all find suitors."

Marigold smiled softly and nodded. "I'm sure things will all work out for the best, especially as we all get to know each other and to share more and more. At the very least, getting to know each other is a great way to make good friends.""

The Mayor nodded to her. "I just wish you two could share with us more now. Your holiday sounds terribly interesting and very useful considering Jack's current situation. Are you sure you two can't stay longer with us? At least until we're sure all of this Jack and Sally business is settled?" He glanced over his shoulder at the Heart Queen.

Flora shook her head, though she still smiled. "I'm sorry, Mayor, I wish I could. But like I said, I have my own holiday coming up in barely six weeks." She sighed deeply. "There are arrows to make, bows to string, chocolate sculptures to carve, the doves have to be bathed, Valentine cards have to be created for the great exchange, boxes of candy need to be wrapped up as presents. Then there are all the matches to finish preparing between new couples for the humans…. That'll require the most work of all."

Marigold couldn't help smirking a little. "I'm impressed that you actually have a working mental inventory of our responsibilities at the moment."

Flora smirked in a touch of pride and gave a shrug.

The Mayor, meanwhile, nodded to Flora in understanding. "Of course, I understand. Your holiday has to come first. That's exactly how we feel around here too." He turned forward to continue driving. "I guess it makes sense then that Jack would visit your holiday considering Sally. Everybody must have somebody special in your town."

Flora shrugged, gazing out at the landscape again. "Most of them do find somebody, but only when the time is right. And I'm usually quite good at determining when the time is right for people, if I do say so myself. But everyone goes at their own pace. And some people even just prefer dedicating their lives to the study and admiration of love all on their own." She turned her smile forward again. "Next to me, actually, Marigold's the foremost love expert in our entire world, you know."

Marigold blushed slightly again. "Oh," she smiled and waved her off, "I don't know if I'd go that far. I suppose I know my way around a love arrow or two, but…really, I'm all formalities."

"Well," the Mayor's smile turned in her direction, "I'm sure no matter what you say, you must be highly qualified. I'm looking forward to working with you, Magistrate."

Marigold smiled a little more. "And I'm sure you're exceptionally qualified as well. And I'm looking forward to working with you too, Mayor."

"You see, I knew you'd relax on this trip at some point, Mari." Flora smiled and stretched up, grinning at Marigold. "Everything worked out, just like I knew it would."

Marigold smirked a little and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and Jack knew from the start the Christmas thing would fix itself perfectly enough to keep the holiday safe and find him his true love." She sighed, looking out of the car window. "Next year when our holiday starts getting close, I'm not letting you out of my sight for a second."

The Mayor sighed and shook his head. "That's exactly how I feel about Jack and next Halloween."

Flora laughed. "Maybe next year Jack and I will _intentionally_ switch holidays. That could probably work out, right?"

Marigold sighed and grinned at her over her shoulder. "Or we could quit tempting fate and keep things organized. For my sanity. Please?"

Flora giggled and nodded. "Whatever you say, Magistrate."

Marigold just rolled her eyes and looked forward again with a grin.

The Mayor kept smiling. "I know the circumstances weren't ideal, but I'm so very glad you ladies came to visit. You've helped so much, and even just seeing that other holiday worlds have problems and advisors makes me feel so much better about everything that's happened here lately."

"Glad we could help spread some love, Mayor." Flora winked.

Marigold nodded and added, "…And some peace of mind too."

The three holiday beings shared a laugh as the car puttered along on its way back to the holiday forest.

* * *

Meanwhile, the bugs were all taken care of now that the trick-or-treaters had gone to drop them off in the pumpkin patch (with Zero supervising of course, just to make sure things went smoothly), the citizens were going about whatever they were going about, and Jack and Sally were finally just walking home alone together arm in arm.

Jack yawned, unable to help himself. "Sally, I know it's just dreadful of me, but I'm so tired after everything that's happened over the past week. I'm not sure how long I'll last tonight before I utterly collapse. And then I'm not sure just how many days I might stay asleep. I feel like I could nap until spring." He chuckled.

Sally nodded, yawning a little herself now. "I'm tired too, Jack. It's been such a long night, and it's so late." She looked up at him. "But couldn't we stay up together just for a little while? Just to talk? We've barely talked at all since Christmas Eve, Jack, at least not openly."

Jack nodded. "Yes, of course. Besides I could use a little dinner, and I'm sure you could too."

Sally smiled in a special way. "And I could also use a goodnight kiss, and I'm sure you could too." She nuzzled the side of his skull a little, whispering. "Oh, it was just awful getting interrupted in the town hall before. I've wanted to kiss you like that again from the first morning we spent together in your…_our_ house."

"Oh…" Jack melted at her affectionate touches and clung a little closer to her. "Well…we did agree to 'hold the thought' until later…and now is later…isn't it?" He nuzzled her gently in return.

Sally giggled. "Yes, it's later. It's later and I adore you, my silly skeleton man."

"And I adore you, my delightful dolly…" Jack cooed back to her, pushing open the gate leading them up the drive.

The couple shared a warm laugh as they strolled up the wooden steps to the front door. Jack grinned down at Sally, his eye sockets hazed with happiness. "Well, Sally, at least we have each other now even if it might take a while for everyone else to catch up about us."

"And we have the trick-or-treaters too," Sally pointed out with a grin of her own. "And Zero. And probably most of Valentine Town."

Jack nodded as they reached the front door. "You're very optimistic, my darling. I love that."

Sally blushed at that lovely L word. "Oh Jack, speaking of lo—"

"Oh. What's this?" As Jack had gone to open the door, he had found a folded up parchment wedged in the mail slot along with another smaller note. "I'm sorry, Sally," he added, observing the items with an eyebrow raised as he opened the door and lead them both in, "I usually don't get letters."

Sally blushed a little but nodded. "It's all right, Jack. They might be important. Maybe you should read them. I'll get some tea for us, and I'll heat up a couple bowls of that leftover stew from the other night," she offered with a smile as she released her arm from Jack's and headed toward the kitchen.

Jack nodded. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Sally." Then he sat down on the sofa and started with reading the first small note.

"Good news, I hope?" Sally couldn't help but ask over her shoulder from the kitchen.

Jack sighed but smiled. "Oh, yes and no. The little note's from Flora. She just apologized again for any problems she may have caused and thanked us for our hospitality while she was here. But unfortunately she had to head home along with Marigold for holiday planning. The Mayor was kind enough to drive them, it seems. I know we'll probably see her again soon, but still I wish we'd gotten a chance to say goodbye." Jack put the note on the table and then took up the larger letter.

"Oh, that's a shame. I would have liked to have said goodbye to her too," Sally called over to him.

"I'm just glad you two are friends now," Jack replied back as he opened the seal on the letter.

"Me too. I can't wait to see her soon. It'll be nice to visit Valentine Town—going to a place where our love isn't a 'forbidden scandal.'" She giggled at the thought.

Jack chuckled. "Yes. But in the meantime, I'm sure we'll have quite a bit of fun around here sneaking off for secret romantic rendezvouses and shocking the town with our appearances together at Town Meetings and keeping the lights glowing in this old house as we stay up together for hours to play games and sing songs…. Not to mention how I plan to have you right at my side and in my arms for next Halloween and every Halloween after."

Jack started reading the letter now.

"Oh Jack, really?" came Sally's happy voice from the kitchen. She reentered the living room now with the teapot and a couple of cups on a tray. "I'd be so nervous at the center of the parade, but with you there right with me I think I'd have a lot of fun." Jack was very absorbed in his letter, so Sally barely noticed that he didn't make any reply to her. She set down the tray. "I don't think our relationship will be easy, Jack, but I have a very good feeling about it. Don't you?" She noticed more this time now that he didn't reply to a question, but figured he might say something after he finished the section of the letter that he was looking at. Finally, Sally sat on the sofa next to him and poured herself a cup of tea. "Tea, Jack?" she offered, holding the spout over his empty cup.

Jack still did not reply though. He just read with wide eye sockets.

Sally frowned. "Jack?" She lowered the teapot and gently touched his arm. "What is it?"

Jack blinked and instantly popped out of his daze. "Oh. I'm sorry, Sally, it's just, um…" he smiled, he seemed almost a little teary, "I…I don't think that we'll have to worry about being a scandal anymore. Look." He handed her the letter to read.

Sally took the letter. And as she read, she got a bit wide-eyed and teary too.

The message part of the letter was brief enough. It consisted of an apology to Jack and Sally for reacting so unsupportively about their relationship, followed by an explanation that the town's concerns came from the fact that Jack had always been so resistant to romance that it couldn't help but seem strange to everyone that he would suddenly take up with somebody. They had just wanted to be sure Jack was truly back to his old self again and of course that Sally didn't have her heart broken if he wasn't. Finally, the letter explained Flora and Marigold's general advice to the town followed by the events of the rest of the town meeting where everyone recalled how much trust they had in Jack and how grateful they were to Sally for her role in saving him and their town and Christmas. So in short the citizens just wanted Jack and Sally to know that they were very the pair had found happiness together, and that they hoped none of their unpleasantness had caused any problems between the happy couple. The body of the letter finished with a brief statement of thanks to both Jack and Sally for their efforts with the bug problem as well.

The bulk of the letter came next: every member of the town had signed the message, so naturally the parchment had ended up quite long.

When Sally was done reading, she placed the letter down and wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh Jack!" She giggled and then just dove against him in a big hug. "Even the Doctor signed it!"

Jack hugged her back, smiling so merrily as well. "Yes, yes, of course, the doctor too. After all, who could deny that Jack and Sally are meant to be, hmm?" He pulled back, and the two of them just looked at each other as they finished sharing a laugh of happiness.

Then everything was just quiet and warm, and they were both very close, looking into each other's eyes.

They could feel the something beautiful stirring up between them again.

Jack swallowed and did his best to resist for just one more time in his life. "Sally…" he started in a quiet and trembly voice, "before anything else happens, I just need to explain myself. I need to tell you something about how I feel for you. Please." His voice had dropped to a low whisper, his gaze still locked onto her big, beautiful eyes.

Sally smiled shyly and she gave a nod. "If you want to, Jack. I'm here for you, and I'm listening." She came forward and gave his cheek a soft kiss, then pulled back.

Jack sighed softly at the gesture. "Thank you." He took a deep breath, then clasped his hands together shyly. "Sally? I love you." He frowned, going on. "I've been in love with you since Christmas Eve night. I'm sorry I didn't tell you until now." He cleared his throat and added sheepishly, "Well, actually, I did sort of tell your arm back when I had it, but of course that's not the same." He swallowed and went on. "I was just afraid that you would think I was being impulsive, that I couldn't sincerely care for you after the events of one single evening…and I thought you might even be insulted if I suggested that I could care for you so deeply so quickly. But I don't want to have any more secrets, Sally. I do love you." He took up one of her hands in both of his. "And if you need me to prove it in any way, I'll go to the ends of every holiday world and back again to do so, my dearest friend."

Sally looked back at him with such wide, curious, wondrous eyes. And then a smile bloomed on her face that she was quite sure would never leave. "You don't have to prove…. But oh Jack, it's not a secret: the last time you came to me sleepwalking, you told me that you loved me. But it's so wonderful to hear you say it now like this...and to know that you even said it to my arm—no wonder she was willing to lead you to me when we were fighting." She giggled. "I understand, Jack, I really do," she assured him, her whole look bright.

Jack blinked at her words for a moment, but then frowned in realization. "I already told you when I was sleeping…" His skull lowered, and he released her hand. "I'm sorry. I couldn't even tell you 'I love you' the right way."

Sally reached out and placed her fingertips underneath his chin, gently lifting up his skull to let their gazes meet once more. She was still smiling. "As long as you mean it, it's the right way, Jack. And if it helps make things any better…" she lowered her voice to a whisper and moved closer, "I'm in love with you too, Jack Skellington. I loved you from the moment I met you. I always have, and I always will."

Jack's eye sockets went wide. "Really?" he whispered back.

Sally nodded. "Yes. You seemed so shy the last few days though, that I didn't want to tell you. And I never wanted to tell you from the start because I was afraid you would think I was just like every other woman in town claiming to care about you without really knowing you." Her hand moved to rest gently against the side of his skull. "But I would have told you now even if you hadn't just told me first. No more secrets, just like you said. I love you, Jack Skellington. And I've been dying to tell you for so long that it felt like I was going to burst."

Jack smiled so dreamily. "Oh Sally…" he chuckled softly, a hand coming up to gently brush through her hair, "I-I've never been in love with another person who loves me back. It feels splendid though."

Sally giggled as she lowered her hand and pulled back just a little. "I'm glad you like it." Then she swallowed and asked, both of her hands coming to rest together in her lap, "So, um…you being worried about letting me know that you love me…that's part of why you've been nervous about kissing me up until now? Because if it is, it's…very nice that that's out of the way and behind us." She bit her lower lip a little, looking to his eye sockets in meaningful anticipation.

Jack blinked at the question. Then he sighed and swallowed. "I…it's part of the reason, Sally, but there's more to it than that." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You see…it's sort of like…well, there are a lot of reasons and…" He thought to himself for a moment. Then the Pumpkin King looked to her eyes again and spoke simply. "Sally, maybe instead of trying to explain it all at once, I should just do what I want to do from now on: be honest with you about everything involving our romantic experiences as they happen. I was afraid of what you would think, but I'm not so much anymore. And especially now that I've had some time to settle in to the idea of our relationship and now that those candies put me in touch with my subconscious a little, I think I'm ready to try all on my own." He smiled. "Is that all right, Sally?"

Sally smiled more and nodded. "Of course, Jack. And we don't even have to start with kissing if you still need some time to be comfortable with it. I just like sharing with you and being near you, hearing your voice…" She blushed lightly, and her eyes hazed all the more.

Jack smiled with a touch of pride at her praise. He sighed and leaned in a little closer to her. "Well, I suppose we could just start with whatever feels more right. Though I think eventually it would lead to kisses and quickly." He blanched a little. "I'm very attracted to you, Miss Sally," he managed.

Sally blushed, her breaths growing shallow. "I feel the same," she whispered with a touch of anticipation she couldn't hide. "I think you're the most dashing and desirable man dead actually, my King." She giggled.

Jack brightened a little, and his smile grew. "We could try a kiss right now. It'll be nice to finally be together some place private and without interruptions."

"Okay." Sally nodded, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed a light purple as she smiled, feeling her leaves practically fluttering inside.

Jack continued to look into her eyes. Then he bit his lip and moved forward…but hesitated, raised a hand but hesitated again. He let out a deep breath. "Sally? If we're not caught up in the heat of the moment, I'm not really sure how to start a kiss." He swallowed with a sheepish look. "Which way should I tilt my skull? And where exactly is it okay for my hands to go? And should we always kiss with our eyes closed or would you like to try with our eyes open sometime? I know it's embarrassing that I have to ask, but…I do have to ask. Even though I'm worried about seeming very inexperienced and awkward to you, especially since you've had so much time loving me in secret to build me up as a lover in your mind." He blanched a little. "Any guidance would be helpful."

Sally blinked at all of the sudden questions. "Oh. I…" she raised an eyebrow and considered a moment before replying, "I don't really think I have any definite answers, Jack. I always just thought instinct was the best thing to go with whether we were caught up in the heat of the moment or whether we were just together and making our own moment." She smiled softly. "Don't feel embarrassed though, Jack. There's nothing wrong with being new at something and wanting to learn. I've never done this before either. We can learn together."

Jack smiled more. "I went to Valentine Town trying to learn on my own for you but…learning together sounds very nice."

Sally smiled more. "Good. And to start, well…as I said, Jack, I don't think there are any 'rules' about how to kiss. But I think eyes open or closed is okay, though closed so far feels nicest to me. We can try the other way too though. And I'm not sure if it matters which way you tilt your skull or even if you have to tilt it at all—you don't have a nose, Jack, so there's nothing to get in the way. But tilting does have a nice feeling to it as long as we tilt opposite ways. And as for your hands…" she blushed and tried to keep her breaths from growing shallow, "they can go wherever you want them to go. I don't mind. But, um, if you wanted a place or two to start…" Sally reached out and gently took and guided one of his hands, "Here…" and then she took and guided his other hand, "And here…are fine."

A very wide eyed and slightly paler than usual Jack now found himself with his arms around Sally's body, one hand resting just above her left hip and one hand resting midway down her back and gently touching her long yarn hair.

Sally smiled, her blush continuing. "Where would you like me to touch _you_, Jack? Or would you like me to pick?" she asked softly, coming closer.

Jack felt quite like passing out, only he feared that if he did so then some of the residual effect of those candies would cause him to 'wake up' right away and start doing things with his eager, adoring, forgiving Sally that he would never have the courage to remember. He swallowed, his voice very quiet, as he responded. "You can pick, Sally. Well, um…maybe if one of your hands could touch my face or just anywhere on my skull again, I'd like that. I think it feels nice to have my bones touched." He blanched so much, though he still managed a smile.

Sally smiled more and giggled softly. "Of course, Jack. All you ever have to do is ask." One of her hands came up to gently cup the whole side of his skull. "Your bones feel nice to me, or at least your skull does—so smooth and cool. And I like the faint little seams in the bone along your cranium. Who knows, maybe you have a little rag doll in you somewhere." Her other hand came up to rest on his shoulder, tenderly holding there.

Jack actually smiled and laughed a little at her joke. "No one ever noticed my 'seams' before." He closed his eyes a little for a moment. "It feels nicest when you touch them." Unconsciously his hands started to gently press against the parts of her body he held.

"Hmm, that's funny…it feels nicest when you touch my seams too," Sally cooed, closing her eyes a little as well as she felt his hands brush up against parts of her dress that covered the hidden seams along her body.

"Hmm?" Jack asked softly, opening his eye sockets a little again.

"Your hands… When you move them like that, sometimes they touch seams. I like it," Sally cooed in a heavy whisper. She came very close to him, pressing their foreheads together.

Jack opened his eye sockets a little more. He was very aware of the movements of his fingers now, of her dress and hidden seams, of curiosities and desires that he had begged himself to keep at bay but wanted satisfied somehow, someway, one day…though part of him might not have said no to now.

Sally came forward now, and Jack closed his eye sockets and met her. Then they kissed in that long, slow, tender way they both seemed to love.

They pulled back from each other eventually, breaths a little shallow.

Sally smiled dreamily at Jack. "That was nice." She giggled, unable to help herself.

Jack grinned a little. "Yes, it was." He swallowed. "Um, Sally, before we get carried away—I-I mean, um, if we were planning to get carried away, depending on what 'carried away' entailed—there really is another concern of mine I think I should mention."

Sally just sighed softly, her eyes still hazed in an entranced way. "Oh Jack, you worry so very much. You don't have to worry." She giggled. "Relax, please." And then with smile she came forward so much that she pounced him down to the couch with herself half on top of him.

"Whoa!" left Jack as he felt himself fall backward. Now he just lay there with a smiling, lovely doll atop him. He looked up at her with wide eye sockets.

Sally smiled sweetly down at him. "I'm sorry if I'm a little enthusiastic, Jack. I'm just so happy to be with you." She touched the side of his face again. "If you're uncomfortable though, just let me know and we can do something else."

Jack felt his face warm up and felt his fingers unable to help pressing gently against her dress as he continued to hold her. "I-It's not that," he assured. "I just…I'm unsure about something again. And it's embarrassing again." He frowned a little.

Sally's smile only warmed. "It's okay, Jack. You can tell me what it is if you want, and I promise to help you if I can. Or you can tell me later, if you're not ready to yet. I'm just happy we can finally share now."

Jack smiled a little again. "I think I need to tell you now." He took a deep breath and finally explained. "I'm not just worried about being inadequate as a lover, Sally. I'm also worried about being _too_ adequate." He made himself explain his words very quickly while he had the courage. "You see, I've been around for so long but never had anyone like you before. I had to repress everything about the romantic side of myself over all of these years. That was part of why I went to Valentine Town—I needed to reconnect with my heart and passions. Those candies actually seemed to do the trick best of all by giving that side of myself nowhere to hide. But now I'm…concerned. I can't tell how intense letting go of all of that repression might make me or if it would overwhelm you. I have so many thoughts about you, so many desires, so many compulsions, it makes me shake trying to control myself sometimes. I can only imagine what I must have said and done when I came to you during the nights." He looked up, his voice a deep, almost pleading tone, and such a frown marring his features.

Sally blinked a few times and frowned too, only to see even more guilt come into his gaze. She gently stroked the side of his skull. "You were passionate during the nights, yes…but you were also a perfect gentleman, Jack." She smiled. "Please don't be so nervous about loving me. I promise nothing bad will happen no matter how long you've had to suppress that part of yourself. I only wish I could have been created sooner so that you wouldn't have had to be alone so long. But I'm here now, and I trust you: you're a good man, Jack Skellington. We'll just find what feels right for us together." Her smile grew, and she blushed lightly. "Besides, I understand. I have some repression too from all those years of loving you from far away."

Jack blinked once and raised an eyebrow in wonder. Then a shuddery breath escaped him, and he held her a little more closely. "Sally?"

"Yes?" she replied softly.

"I know it's a lot to ask considering my own behavior this week, but…if you could not end up mysteriously disappearing in the morning like you're just a dream, that would be splendid." The Pumpkin King smiled again. "You're the best person I know."

Sally giggled. "I won't disappear if you won't. We can be together forever if you want, my King." She gently traced along the side of his skull.

Jack's grin picked up on that side. "I guarantee I won't disappear…and I guarantee I'd love to be together with you forever…my lady." Jack's took in a deep breath through his nose and let out a sigh. "Sally?"

Sally took in a deep breath too (and tried not to tremble at him calling her his lady). "Yes?" Her eyes gazed directly into his eye sockets.

Jack held her more closely, something in his eye sockets shining through any hesitation. "I think I want to…um…I think I…" Then suddenly the smile fell from his face a little, and he raised part of his brow. "I think I smell something burning." He glanced around curiously, smelling the air again, though there wasn't even a fire burning in the fireplace at the moment.

Sally raised an eyebrow. Then she sniffed and blinked. "Oh, I think I do too."

"Hmm…" Jack inhaled the distinct scent again. "Strange."

They continued pondering for a moment more. Then….

"_The stew!_" they looked at each other and announced at the same time!

Sally tried to get off of Jack just as Jack tried to get out from under Sally, the result of which was to leave Sally fallen back against the other end of the sofa and Jack half fallen on the floor by the coffee table.

As quickly as they both could, the pair got on their feet and scrambled to the kitchen in an effort to save their dinnertime stew!

* * *

_About an hour later…_

There was a light knocking on the trap door leading up to Sally's room.

"Sally?" Jack called up from just underneath the door. "May I come in? I brought you a snack and some tea."

Sally, her bed on the sofa all made up (which was basically a few blankets and a couple of pillows, but laid out very neatly), finished tying her new robe she had just put the finishing touches on and dashed over to the trap door. She opened it up with a smile. "You can come in, Jack. I was just getting ready for bed." She stepped back to give him room to ascend.

Jack walked up the remaining stairs, tray in hand…and wearing just about the cutest pajamas Sally could have ever imagined him wearing. She smiled at the idea that other people probably expected the master of fright to dawn some black cowl or some torn up suit of darkness to bed at night, if the demon of light himself even slept. Yet the Jack before her now had just come up to her room wearing a cream-colored ensemble of long, pressed cotton pants, a long nightshirt with buttons down the center, and to top it all off a little night cap with a white ball on the end of it. Sally thought it sweet that even living alone he would still dress for bed so formally.

Jack's smile warmed as his gaze met hers, and he closed the trap door behind them. "I got you some witch hazel sugar biscuits and I brewed some black tea with nectar. I thought you could use a little something after our disaster with the stew." He shrugged sheepishly, then noticed what she was wearing and blinked and smiled. "Oh Sally, what a lovely flannel robe you made for yourself. It looks quite cozy." She had chosen purple and black for colors, which suited her well.

Sally smiled at him as she cleared a place on her coffee table for the tray. "Oh, Jack, dinner wasn't that bad—we managed to salvage at least a little bowl each to eat. But thank you, I'm still a little hungry, and biscuits and tea would be just wonderful." Then she smiled more as she stepped back from the table, her arms behind her back, and added, "And thank you, I'm glad you like my robe. If you want, I could make you one to go with your nightclothes." She did her best not to giggle.

"Only if it wouldn't inconvenience you," Jack replied politely as he set the tray on the table. "I'd love one. I don't have much insulation, being a skeleton, so especially this time of year the warmer the clothes I can find the better."

Sally nodded. "That makes sense. You even have a nightcap." She glanced him over once more. "I could make you some slippers to go with everything if you wanted." Her smile only grew at the sight of his skeleton feet sticking out from underneath the bottoms of his pajamas, the fine bones so detailed and distinct. It might have sounded silly, but she saw so little of Jack's form that she wished she could take a peek and explore them just a bit. "I could even try making them out of some of the yarn you gave me," she added as she came out of a slight daze.

Jack smiled modestly and shrugged. "Sally, you don't have to do all of that for me. I'm sure you still have enough sewing projects between your own things and whatever anybody might ask you to do."

"But I want to, Jack," she assured. "Please—slippers wouldn't take me long, and I could make them match your nightclothes perfectly."

How could Jack deny her? He smiled warmly. "Well, if you put it that way, thank you, Sally, I'd love some slippers. But you have to promise me that you'll take the time to make a pair for yourself." He gestured with his head down to the tips of her blue cloth feet sticking out from under the long winter robe before looking back up at her. "I don't want you ever catching cold or getting sick, if we can help it. You are to stay well and happy and loved for the rest of forever. Promise me?"

Sally blushed and smiled in such joy. "Of course, Jack. I'll make a pair of slippers for both of us. And I'll try to stay well, I promise." Then she popped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a very tight hug, resting her head against his chest. "Thank you."

Jack's smile beamed, and he put his arms around her to hold her gently in return. "For what, my darling?"

She sighed softly. "For caring about me so much. I never thought anyone would do that. It's wonderful." She hugged him more.

Jack just chuckled. "Oh, but it's the least I could do. And you do such a lovely job caring for me in return."

Sally giggled and then pulled back. "And speaking of that, please come sit with me and eat something and have some tea." She took his hand led him over to her sofa. "You've been overworking yourself for months now, and today was very stressful. I insist."

Jack smiled a touch sheepishly. "Well, I would have thought you'd have had quite enough of my company at all hours of the night, but…now that you mention it, I am a little peckish." He gestured down to the sofa with his free arm. "But ladies sit first please, and especially when they're in their own rooms."

Sally giggled. "Jack, you're so silly. Oh all right…" She sat down and then patted the place beside her. "Your turn."

Jack sat too, smiling a little sheepishly. "Sorry. If I'm recalling correctly, I have a sort of chivalrous streak. I think it stems from how much I value politeness." He reached out and took up the kettle. "Would you like me to pour you some tea, Sally?"

Sally smiled and nodded. "That would be nice, Jack, thank you."

They were quiet for a moment as the tea was poured and the two of them finished a biscuit each.

Then Jack took a breath and began for the sake of starting more conversation (and for getting to a potentially awkward topic), "I'm starting to remember my little visits to you." He sipped his tea.

Sally blinked and glanced at him. "Really?" She blushed slightly. "All of them?"

Jack smiled a little and shook his head. "No, no…I think I'm just remembering the last one at the moment. I think what you said about me telling you I loved you during that time triggered the memory." He looked at her hesitantly. "Did I really ask you to run away with me so that we could make our own holiday every day about only our love?"

Sally smiled shyly and nodded. "Yes." She sipped her tea.

Jack lowered his teacup and sighed deeply as he slumped back against the sofa. "I really do like you so much, Sally. It's terribly easy for me to get passionate about you and carried away. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable at all."

Sally set down her teacup and moved close alongside him. "Oh, you didn't mean to come on so strongly, Jack. And, well, I can't say the idea doesn't have appeal in a fantasy sort of way." She reached up and let herself gently trace a finger around his jawline. "The two of us just running off together without a care in the world but each other…" She giggled. "But I know our life that we have here now is the best option of all." She lowered her hand. "Don't feel embarrassed, Jack. I told you before, there's nothing wrong with expressing yourself even if you are passionate." She blushed a little as she recalled his admission downstairs not too long ago about how he feared being unable to control himself with her. Sally's teacup shook as she tried to take it up from its saucer again for a sip, making several light clinking sounds.

"Sally?" Jack (blanching slightly from her touch) asked with an eyebrow raised as he noticed the action.

Sally swallowed her sip. "Sorry, um…I'm fine. I guess I'm just tired." She smiled at him, moving things along. "Anyway, your last visit to me really wasn't as bad as you think and neither were the other two, I promise."

Jack hesitated, then asked, "Will you tell me about the other two times?"

Sally bit her lip and looked down, blushing. "I don't want it all to overwhelm you, Jack. Maybe it's better to let you remember on your own gradually."

Jack blanched a little and nodded, looking down too. "Maybe. I suppose you're right—I shouldn't risk jarring my nerves too much after all the new experiences I've had lately." He sipped his tea again and considered, and then set his now empty cup down on the tray and stood up again. "Anyway, Sally, I think I should go to bed now and let you get to bed too. We could both use our sleep."

Sally frowned and stood up as well. "Oh. Um…if you want to." She looked down.

Jack's smile fell a little, and he tilted his skull to the side. "Is something on your mind, Sally?"

She wrung her hands together slightly, rocking on her feet. "It's just…being near you makes me happy, and I'm so glad that you're going to be okay now since you're not eating any more of Flora's candies. But I just wish you would stay with me longer." She looked up at him. "But I understand that you need your rest. Can I at least have a kiss good night?" She smiled hopefully.

Jack didn't say anything for a moment. Then he smiled softly. He came forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I wouldn't mind staying more. I find our time together very relaxing, Sally…and being near you makes me happy too. But I'm worried about falling asleep up here." He frowned. "Flora said those candies should be out of my system soon, but there's a chance I could sleepwalk again tonight. And I don't want to come to you like that anymore. In fact, when I do leave you should probably lock the trapdoor behind me."

Jack paused as Sally took his skull into her hands, looking up into his eye sockets. "I'm not going to lock my door to keep you out, Jack. I just want more time for us to talk." She swallowed. "The only thing I'd ask is that if you do sleepwalk, you don't sneak off in the morning before I wake up. It was lonely each night thinking I'd been with you and then waking up by myself."

Jack looked after her with his eye sockets wide. Then he smiled and nodded. "I'll stay with you as long as you'd like then, Sally. At least having the end of a proper date to show for everything we've been through today might be nice. And if I do sleepwalk, I won't leave in the morning until you're awake too. I promise." He whispered the last two words softly near her ear.

Sally sighed, her whole look going dreamy. "Thank you, Jack." She released him and then turned back to the sofa. "I'll pour us more tea," she offered brightly as she took up the kettle. "It's so nice on a cold winter's night like this."

Jack just watched her pour with a warm smile. Then he sighed and held his arms as her comment about it being winter really made him process for the first time the light chill in the room. '_No wonder she made herself a robe._' He turned toward the fireplace, which only had a faint glow of flame. "…And I'll get this fireplace lit a little better for you, Sally. The room should be toasty warm in no time." He got some more logs and continued talking to Sally, "I'll get you warmer material for blankets tomorrow, Sally. In fact, we can go to town and buy you whatever fabrics you think you'll need to start sewing for customers. Oh, and we'll get your sewing machine all fixed up too. I'm determined to get it running!" The flame was increasing and Jack puffed at it with the billows a bit and then took the poker to adjust the logs more. The fire suddenly rose up in a bright, happy flame.

"Oh…" came Sally's soft voice behind him in an odd tone he couldn't recall her using before. "Well, it'll probably be easier to get it running…when I give you back the gears I hid from it when you were trying to get it running in the first place."

Jack blinked, then turned around.

Sally was just standing by the sofa wringing her hands in an obvious gesture of guilt. "Jack, I'm sorry." She frowned so much. "I was so afraid the other day that when you finished the machine and then left the house and went to town hall, everyone would question you about where I was and the doctor would find me and tell you bad things about me and try to take me back to his manor. I was going to tell you, I just needed a little more time. I'm so sorry." Her eyes came up, nearly with tears in them.

Jack was quiet for a moment, his eye sockets wide as he absorbed this sudden truth. Then he came back over to her and took her hands in his. "Sally," he said softly but seriously, "I understand what you did and why you did it, and I appreciate you sharing the truth with me. But no more of this between us, right? Honesty and openness only."

Sally nodded. "Yes, of course, Jack. I'm sorry again."

Jack smiled and touched the side of her face. "It's all right. We've both made mistakes lately. But they're in the past now. And I'll always forgive you, Sally. Never doubt that for a moment, my love."

Sally felt like her stitches were about to burst, her smile grew so much at the term of affection. "Oh Jack…" She came forward and kissed him right on the mouth, then pulled back. "I can't believe you never tried courting anyone else before—you're wonderful at it." She giggled.

Jack was blanching and grinning so much. "I…Well, I try…" He blinked a few times and chuckled almost giddily. "I could get used to kissing you being a regular part of my life. You're very fun to love. I can't wait to know even more."

Sally blushed slightly. "You're very fun to love too, Jack…and I can't wait to know more either."

The two of them smiled to each other, then glanced away with shy grins.

Then Sally's eyes caught sight of the bright light of the fire beside them as she felt its warmth radiating out to her. "Thank you for the nice fire, Jack. I've never gotten it that…roaring. But then again, I'm a little afraid to play with the fireplace too much. I worry about sparks catching on my skin."

Jack nodded, his smile only growing. "Well, if you ever want me to light it for you, you know where to find me.

Sally just remained looking at the warm fire like she was thinking of something, a little crooked smile on her face.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Sally?

She blinked a few times, coming out of her thoughts, and then looked to him again. "Sorry, Jack. I was just, um…thinking about where we left off downstairs…before the stew burned." She smiled in a special way, then turned and sauntered a little bit away from him.

Jack blanched a little. "O-Oh…that." He nodded. "I remember." Sally having pounced him down to the sofa in the living room, her smile as she tried to soothe his worries, her assurances that any passions he wanted to try indulging were fine with her, her revelation that she liked when his hands touched her seams. His thoughts about what they could do next. Yes, he remembered quite well. He grinned a little in a special way of his own.

Sally giggled and shook her head. "Silly skeleton. Just making sure." She turned around to face him, looking more shy than sensual.

There was a moment of sweet silence between them. Sally was unsure whether all of the warmth flowing through her came mostly from the fire or from her own blushing. Either way she felt too flushed for words. And meanwhile Jack, confused but curious, couldn't tell how much of the warmth in his bones was coming from the fire at his back or the marrow racing in and out of his joints and an astonishingly glorious speed.

The two lovers were finally in their own private world with no expectations or responsibilities or doubts. They could just enjoy each other's company and fully embrace the love they had found together.

* * *

The Mayor had taken Flora and Marigold as far into the forest as the car would allow, and then the ladies had been obliged to say their goodbyes to the kind Halloween advisor and continue the rest of the way along a footpath. Luckily though, the distance wasn't too great, and so the pair discovered themselves at the holiday circle of trees soon enough.

"You know…" Flora smiled, arms behind her back and a little grin upon her features, "no one at home knows _when_ to be expecting us back exactly. And we _could_ use a break after all of the hard work we've put in here. We could always sneak off somewhere for just a little while longer—maybe build a snowman in Christmas Town?" She shrugged at her advisor, her eyes bright.

"Do not even think about it." Despite the seriousness of her reply, Marigold smiled as she delivered it, adjusting her glasses. "When the holiday's over, then you can go off playing with the other holidays and holiday leaders all you want." She sighed as she came to stand before the heart door. "For now though, I'm afraid you and I both know we have to go home."

Flora approached her, an eyebrow raised though her smile was still bright. "You almost sound disappointed."

Marigold blinked, then bit her lip. "Well…I suppose it's just…I wish we had time to stay and make certain of guiding Jack and Sally's and the doctor and Jewel's relationships down the right paths. I don't know how you stand never leading things through all the way when dealing with love, but personally I'd like to know all of our loose ends were tired up." She looked to the Heart Queen.

Flora sighed, and smiled more. "Mari, I know you want to run everything through down to the last detail, but I also know you know that's not how this works. It would be too forced, too artificial regarding love to just make it work straight down the line. No, the thing to do is plant and nurture the seed between two people. And then finally when the romance has brushed against its true path, you let it go and work itself out. Sometimes there are mistakes, but it's necessary. Part of love is instinct, and time, and being alone for a bit." Her smile grew, and her eyes hazed. "Jack and Sally have been shoved into the limelight and have had to involve other people in their affairs enough lately. Now they need a little privacy to figure out what they want together for themselves. And the same goes for the Doctor and Jewel. Believe me, I know it goes against your bureaucratic nature, but we're doing the right thing."

Marigold sighed but nodded. "I know. It's just always a lot for me to accept when we hit this point in things. That crazy Pumpkin King and that kind doll just started to grow on me a bit, I suppose. And the Doctor and Jewel too." She smiled again. "But I guess our holiday preparations will take our mind off of everything for now."

"Yes, of course." Flora nodded. "And I guarantee that after Valentine's Day, Jack and Sally will be visiting us, strolling through Lovers Lane, and talking about their bright future together." The Heart Queen winked.

Marigold laughed softly. "All right, Miss Heart Queen, enough optimism. Now, through the door, please." She opened the heart door. "And please promise me if we visit any more holiday worlds together that you won't try to set me up with advisors or kings or anybody? You know I'm not the matchmaking type." She blushed a little.

Flora chuckled. "All right, all right, at this point I'll leave you to instinct too. Come on, Mari…" She took a last look at the stark, somber holiday forest around her and sighed. "Let's go home…"

Marigold glanced around with a final smile at the place too. Then… "Oh!" She gasped as Flora suddenly grabbed the sleeve of her robe, and the pull of the holiday door sucked them both inside. "Flora! You know I like warning for that!" came Marigold's echoey voice out through the portal.

Queen Flora just laughed. "Oh, but it's more fun being surprised! Valentine Town, here we come!" Her voice was growing fainter.

The holiday door stayed open for a moment longer but then lazily shut, leaving the Halloween landscape in peace and quiet. Valentine's Day and Halloween had brushed together and created a lovely, horrible encounter, but now the leaders were returning to their tasks. And so every holiday was finally back where it belonged, at least for the moment.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! We won't be seeing anyone from Valentine Town again until the epilogue (chapter 25), but that'll give us plenty of time to finish things up with Jack and Sally (and the Doctor and Jewel).

Now, next chapter is a fun chapter—lots and lots of romantic (though still safely PG 13-ish) stuff happens as Jack and Sally finally have some time alone. ^_^ I really hope you guys like it!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	22. A Night to Remember

**A/N:**

Hi everyone!

Here's the new chapter—Jack and Sally finally have some alone time. Lol, lots of romance, lots of touching, lots of shippiness (and finally no one can possibly walk away not remembering it or thinking it was a dream! :D ). Anyway, I hope you all like it, and review please if you can! Thanks!

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 22:**

**A Night to Remember**

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the Skellington household, the night was still young, and Jack and Sally were still up in the tower…where Sally had just reminded Jack of where the two of them had left off downstairs…and Jack had nodded and said he remembered. And the two of them really did feel so warm between the fire and the memories of each other….

In fact, Sally was blushing such a distinct violet color that Jack couldn't help but eye her a little more closely. "Sally," Jack observed, "you look very flushed—you're not feverish, are you?" He frowned at the thought and took a step closer to her. '_She's been through so much lately. Maybe I should still go so that she can get rest.'_

A rosy, purplish Sally just looked down more and shook her head. "No, um…it's just the fire's very warm, and this robe is very warm. That's all." She gently wrung her hands together.

Jack let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, is that all? I'm glad." He smiled, his eye sockets bright. "I can take your robe if you'd like, Sally. There is something to be said against being _too_ warm, especially for the dead." He chuckled.

Sally smiled a little, then let out a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, Jack, if you want." Then she undid the little belt of the robe and slid the garment off of her shoulders and finished by placing it in Jack's held out hands.

Sally, now just in her nightgown, took a step back and looked at Jack hesitantly.

Jack just looked back at the sight of her with wide eye sockets: he didn't move or say a word. The only sound was the fire crackling.

When the robe accidentally dropped out of his hands though, Jack did manage to blink and come out of his daze. "O-Oh, um, I-I'm sorry, Sally, I didn't mean to drop, um…" Jack gathered up the robe and folded it quickly to lay it on an arm of the sofa. Then he looked back to Sally because he wasn't sure where else to look…and because he wanted to look at her more than anything right now, he freely admitted to himself.

Sally blushed even more purplish and just put her arms behind her back. "I finally made myself a new nightgown," she explained. She looked down at herself: she had taken the last few yards of that midnight blue silk Jack had given her and stitched herself something light and cool and wonderful. The nightgown fit her snugly, yet Sally had cut it to allow ample movement. The length of the gown went down to just above her ankles though she had added slits on either side up to her knees. And the nightgown was held in place by two simple, thin straps over her shoulders. "It's silly, I guess…" she mumbled to herself.

"No, no," Jack assured, coming forward, his hands clasped together. "It's not silly at all, Sally. It's beautiful. I never saw you look so beautiful in my life actually."

A big, beaming smile threatened to burst out upon Sally's lips. "I could never make myself a real nightgown with the materials the Doctor gave me. I always wanted one like this. Thank you, Jack." She looked up at him, her large eyes bright.

Jack just smiled shyly. "You're welcome." He let out a deep breath, his eyes looking to her face but also taking in everything below it. '_I know it's not the most important thing: I know I would love her to death whether she was a barely visible ghost or a warty goblin or a mangled ghoul…but…she's a rag doll…and I never knew her body could look like that._' Her usual dresses always left a bit up to the imagination. But in the nightgown, Jack could see the outline of all Sally's curves, he could see the full expanse of her shoulders, he could even see more of her legs. Jack felt something deep stir within him and did his best to work with the feeling instead of just suppressing it. '_It's all right_,' he assured himself. _'There's nothing wrong with taking pleasure in the appearance of the woman you love. Just take it slow but steady_.' Jack cleared his throat. "May we sit again, Sally?"

Sally smiled warmly and nodded as she came forward. "Of course, my silly skeleton. We still have a lot to talk about anyway," she added before gliding herself over to the sofa and taking a seat.

Jack followed and sat alongside her.

They were quiet for a moment, Sally still blushing and feeling a bit giddy, and Jack still trying not to seem too awkward. Then the Pumpkin King swallowed and observed, "For your first time making something like your nightgown, you did quite well, Sally."

Sally smiled softly. She took up the teapot and poured them each a fresh cup. "Thank you, Jack."

Jack nodded. Then he frowned a little as he took up his teacup for a sip. "And the Doctor never gave you material like that so you could make a nice nightgown for yourself?"

Sally paused in raising her own cup to her lips. She frowned a little and shook her head. "No, he didn't. I just got cloth scraps. He said it was because they were free and that was all I should need. But I only ever got enough to make a dress and a blanket and to have for rags if I needed them." She lowered her cup and set it back down on the table.

Even Jack's eye sockets seemed to frown along with his bony mouth. He lowered his cup too. "You weren't happy living with Doctor Finkelstein, were you, Sally?"

Sally shook her head. Her voice was soft and quiet. "No."

Jack moved a little closer to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sally was quiet. Then… "Not everything all at once. There's too much. He wasn't cruel, he just wasn't loving. I hated living with him." Something stern came to her eyes.

Jack just nodded. His voice was lower now, gentle. "Why didn't you tell me, Sally? Even before…_us_, I would have done something if I'd known."

Sally let out a soft sigh. "He treated me like his property. It's not easy to tell another person about that—being told you're a possession every day by the person who created you when you didn't even ask to be created in the first place. I was embarrassed."

"Oh Sally…" Jack put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." He didn't know what else to say. Poor Sally—feeling trapped and alone and ashamed. It made Jack think of his own loneliness, and tears nearly pricked at his eye sockets.

Sally leaned against him a little. "It's okay. I tried not to let it upset me too much. I'd run away to try and be free for a little while—that's when I would have to sneak past the old town bridge alone sometimes, because even the Doctor would be too afraid to look for me there. Or, if I couldn't get away from him, I'd just look out of my window and see your house and think about you." She kissed his cheek. "Sometimes I would run away just for the chance of getting to see you, even if you didn't know I was there," she whispered. Then she sighed. "But, of course, the Doctor would find me and force me to come back. Sometimes he would even catch me by one of my limbs, and I'd have to leave it behind with him…and he knew I'd always come home to get it back. Then he'd sew me up and lecture me like I was a little girl."

Jack stroked through a few strands of her hair. "Such a patient woman, Sally, to endure the Doctor and to serve him as well as you did despite everything. Whenever I'd come over, I'd always see you cleaning or bringing him soup or getting him little things that he would need." He smiled. Then he blinked and pulled back a little, an eyebrow raised. "Sally, do you think he's mistreating Jewel the same way? If he is, I'll get her out of that house right this moment."

Sally blinked but then smiled softly and shook her head. "No, Jack, it's okay. I talked to Jewel, and she seems happy at the Doctor's house. Besides, I think he likes her better than me, so he treats better. I was just another experiment to him, Jack—I think that's why he had trouble not seeing me as a possession. But with Jewel, it's different…" She smiled more. "He made her as a partner. I heard him while he built her. He wanted to have conversations with her, and he was so excited to have her finished. He even calls her precious sometimes, and…he gave her half of his mind, Jack." She looked into his eye sockets. "He cares for her, and she cares for him as well very much. I already offered to let Jewel come stay with me though if she was unhappy, but she doesn't want to leave him. She likes the cleaning and the cooking and looking after Igor and making sure the Doctor doesn't stay up too late working on experiments. She's part of the household when she does those things…but when I did them, I was just the maid. I'd been telling him to make a new creation for months, I had a good feeling about it. And I was right." She shrugged and picked up her teacup to take a warm sip.

Jack nodded in understanding, a special glint in his eye sockets. "You had a 'feeling'? I see." He took his hand from her shoulder and just gazed at her. "You really are quite clever, Sally. And I'm glad Jewel is safe. I'm just sorry that you had to suffer so long." He frowned a little again. "I wish I could have helped you somehow."

"You did, just by being nice to me and by being yourself," Sally replied with a small smile. Then she swallowed and added, "But either way, it's okay, Jack. I took care of myself." She blushed.

Jack smiled more and nodded. "Yes, I imagine my clever Sally had many creative ways of finding her freedom. I don't think the Doctor could fault you for that even if it did frustrate him sometimes to have you run off."

Sally looked away. "I may have gone too far sometimes." She shrugged.

Jack blinked at the reply and tilted his skull to the side a little. "No further than the Doctor went, I'm sure."

Sally bit her lower lip and then took a deep breath and replied. "Jack…over the last year, whenever I really needed to get away from the Doctor, I'd lace his food with poison so he would pass out and I could sneak away." She pushed her hair behind one of her ears and added quickly, "We both probably did things not everyone would be proud of. And it wasn't really 'poisoning'—I'd just slip some deadly nightshade into his food or tea and he'd take a very nice, deep nap for half a day…" She sighed. "I just wish headaches hadn't been a side effect: he probably would have gone much easier on me about the poisonings if they hadn't been." A deep frown came to Sally's features now. She looked down into her teacup on the table.

There was silence.

Jack not saying anything made Sally nervous. She spoke again, still looking down. "I know no one should poison people and that it wasn't nice of me. And it probably seems very strange for me to do it. It's okay if you disapprove, Jack. It's just something I did because I had to, and I tried to make it all as painless as possible. And I don't regret it. The only thing I regret are the Doctor's headaches that he would get sometimes because of me. If I could have found something safer to poison him with, I would have."

Jack blinked a few times, coming out of some thoughts (and some shock). Then he spoke again. "Oh, I…I don't think it's my place to 'approve' or 'disapprove', Sally." He looked down at his own teacup on the table. "You had your own set of circumstances, and I can't really know how painful for you they were. You're smart and good though, and I trust your judgment." He glanced at her. "If lightly poisoning the Doctor is what you decided to do, I can only guess that you truly felt it was the best or only option you had. I can't say I think it's good that it came to that between you two—it obviously caused the Doctor some distress and you as well—but I would never judge you for it, Sally." He reached over and put a hand on hers. "It would be wrong of me to judge you as your King and as your friend and as your…your more than friend." He blanched a little (he still wasn't sure what they should call each other), then went on. "But you know that already. After all, you didn't judge me when I destroyed Oogie Boogie." He squeezed her hand a little.

Sally glanced at him. "I was afraid to tell you. I was embarrassed about the idea of telling you I was the Doctor's 'property', but…I was more worried that you would be ashamed of me if you found out what I did to get away from him."

Jack looked into her eyes and shook his skull. "Never, Sally." He put a hand to her cheek. "You took care of yourself. I'm proud of you."

Sally smiled and finally looked up to his eye sockets again. "Thank you, Jack."

Jack smiled more and nodded. "There's no need to thank me, Sally, it's the truth. And besides, what man wouldn't be proud if anything to find out that his dearest friend is a master chemist? Or chef? Or perhaps a little bit of both." He gave a small chuckle.

Sally blushed a little and smiled more (and savored the feeling of those bony, delicate fingers of his gently touching the seams of her face). "I-I was just mixing herbs. I wouldn't call myself a chemist, let alone a master one, or a master chef for that matter."

A low little chuckle left Jack and he removed his hand from her cheek to glide his fingers through a few strands of her hair as he leaned in a bit more closely to her. "Now, why must you always be so delightfully modest, Sally?" He sighed softly, his eye sockets looking dreamy. "I think you must be just the most intelligent and skilled woman in town, and I do love it so very much."

Now Sally really had to giggle. "Jack!"

"Yes?" Jack asked with an intrigued grin and a chuckle of his own.

Sally sighed softly. "You're charming. And you make me feel very safe…and loved." She shifted closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

Jack blanched a little and looked down, smiling more to himself. He savored the feeling of her closeness for a moment. Then he looked forward and sighed. "Sally? I like being making you feel safe and loved. I like being charming with you and comforting, and also happy and confident and energetic like I usually am with everyone." His smile fell a little. "But we said we would be very open with each other. So I suppose now I have to ask you…could you also accept and feel okay with the other ways I can be—the ways I usually am when I'm hidden up here in this house? Brooding and lonely…doubtful…and even sad?" He let out a small sigh. "Sally, I've been so unhappy sometimes but I could never tell anybody. I was always afraid of making them uncomfortable, of ruining their happiness by telling them how I really felt about some of the things in my life. I don't think I'll feel so melancholy anymore now that you're here, but still…it can happen, and it would be nice to have someone to talk with about those feelings from the past. Will you still be able to be happy with me even if I'm not always the smiling Jack you always knew before we realized we were meant to be?"

Jack took a breath and swallowed. "And I really am a calm, kind person most of the time…but I really am also terrifying sometimes. And I like being that way. So can you still feel okay living with me and being close to me, Sally, even if I'm all of those strange things put together, and some of them aren't at all easy to be around or don't make a lot of sense for one person to have inside of himself?" His eye sockets finally hesitantly went to her eyes.

Sally was frowning, those big eyes of hers a little wide. She recalled his lament which she had heard him sing back during Halloween about being so empty and scary and confused inside and feeling so alone about it all the time. And she recalled whispering into the night that she knew how he felt. "I already do accept you all of those ways and more, Jack. Don't hide them from me." She touched his skull. "I'd be more comforted knowing you at least have me to share all of your feelings with, the bad and the good, than I would be just always seeing you happy and confident for my sake. And I love your terrifying side whenever you want to express it. I know everyone else needs you to seem a certain way because you're their King." She smiled a little, her voice softening. "But when you're with me, you're _my_ King. And my King can be whoever he wants to be, whether it's the happiest man in town or a man full of sad lament…a man resting peacefully or the terrifying Pumpkin King…or even whether it's a shy man learning how to hold the woman he loves, or a man full of passionate fire he can't wait to express." She had their foreheads lightly pressed together now, and her eyes were hazed as she looked into his eye sockets.

Jack's eye sockets looked back at her wide in hope and then joy and then relief and then wonder. A light sigh escaped him. "I really do feel like I can be anything when I'm with you, Sally." He swallowed then smiled a little sheepishly. "Y-You know, sometimes when we're this close, I'm not even sure how I remember to breathe."

Sally giggled softly. "Silly Jack. We're dead—we don't need to breathe."

He smiled a little more, his chest clearly lightly rising and falling. "Oh. I forgot."

They laughed together.

And now that something between them—the spark—was there again. They both felt it.

Jack looked down for a moment. "We always get interrupted—first by the town when we kissed on the hill…then by the Mayor when we were at the town hall…and now downstairs by the burning stew…but we wouldn't be interrupted up here." His tone was hesitant, almost shy, but his eye sockets had a special glint to them.

Sally understood. She looked down a little too. "I wouldn't mind." A shuddery breath escaped her, and she played with her hair. "I've wanted to kiss with you for years…to be close with you." She blushed, and her eyes moved back up again. "I feel good when I'm with you."

Jack nodded, blanching. "I feel the same. I feel good too." He raised his eye sockets to let his gaze meet hers. His voice was soft. "Please don't ever tell anyone, but I'm a little scared. I've never done anything like this before. But I'm starting to feel a lot better now, and quite curious. Shall we try and see where things take us? Slowly…together?"

Sally felt like her stitches were practically buzzing with electricity. "Y-Yes. I…_yes._" That tone suddenly escaped her again—the one from the back of the town hall, the one of pure pleasure and eagerness. She loved it.

Jack was just doing his best to control the trembles going through his bones (and that tone of hers hadn't gone unnoticed by him either). He nodded. "From the first moment we put our arms around each other on Spiral Hill, all I wanted was to collapse with you and kiss you and be together with you forever."

Blushing, Sally nodded in return and let out a breath. Then she moved back from Jack slightly.

Jack watched, at first with confusion and then with wonder, as Sally now stood up, took two pillows from the sofa, then walked toward the fireplace and placed them on the large rug before the grate. Then she sat down on the rug with the fire to her right, and her legs pulled underneath herself but angled out to the side. She turned to Jack, and her voice was shy but sensual as she finally replied to him. "Then come collapse with me, dearest Jack."

Jack just looked over at her: all nestled upon the rug, midnight blue silk shimmering a little in the glow of the fire, her voice soft, her eyes full of love, her hair gently flowing over and around her curves.

He couldn't have helped coming to her even if he had wanted to.

Jack walked over and came to repose with her, facing her on his knees as the fire warmed both of them on one side.

Sally smiled to Jack and whispered. "Do you want me to help you with where to put your hands again?"

Jack smiled softly but shook his skull, whispering as well. "No, it's all right. I remember from before, and if we get caught up in the heat of the moment, I-I can usually figure things out on my own just from instinct anyway. Sally…Sally doll…." One of his arms found its way around her waist, and his other arm came to let his hand rest upon one of her bare shoulders from behind. His long fingers gently pressed against her. "Oh…" Jack took in a little gasp.

The only way Sally could keep from shaking was to bring her hands to his shoulders. "Jack?" she asked softly.

"I can feel your seams…" he explained in a breath. "The silk's thin…I can feel them." His hand on her back gently pressed more against her and the secret patterns of stitches hidden just below the garment's surface.

Sally blushed completely. "Now if only I could feel more of your bones…" was all she could think to say with a nervous giggle as she let her hands press against his collar area but secretly longed to run all of her fingers over the ivory bare bones of his chest and spine until he moaned in appreciation and well-deserved happiness.

Something about her reply made Jack almost remember something that he couldn't quite remember. He instantly had a feeling that it was about his nightly visits to her and decided to put it out of mind for a moment. He was nervous enough right now already. "I…wish you could too," he replied truthfully before he could make himself not say it. He rarely even let anybody else see any of his bones, let alone touch them: but the idea of her doing so was beyond intriguing.

"Jack…" left Sally, her voice light and shaking a little.

The Pumpkin King brought his hand up to her face. "_Sally_…" left him in that deep, undeniable tone he had found in himself recently (just like back at the town hall).

And then Jack came forward and brought his lips to Sally's. He closed his eye sockets, and Sally closed her eyes as well.

The pair remained locked in a simple kiss for a moment, holding each other, getting used to being close once again.

Finally, slowly, Jack and Sally separated. They were panting lightly and smiling.

Jack's eye sockets were hazed in the dreamiest way possible. "Oh, I hope that was as splendid for you as it was for me, my darling." A low chuckle left him. '_Flora was right, Valentine's Day was right…. There's nothing 'wrong' or 'bad' or 'shameful' about love. Love is beautiful in all of its forms._'

And Sally just looked at Jack sitting there with his adorable pajamas and that adorable grin on his face and even his adorable nightcap upon his adorable skull. Then she laughed and draped her arms completely around his shoulders. "It was beautiful," she cooed. "Let's keep going, Jack. I'm so happy there aren't any more interruptions." She brought her mouth to his once more, kissing him clearly without any intention of stopping as her arms wound more snugly around his body.

Jack's eye sockets closed again, and his arms came snugly held her as he kissed her in a lingering way in return.

They just remained like this, embracing, pushing and pulling and gently learning from each other's movements, getting back to that point of unity they always just barely managed to reach the few times so far they had kissed like this, and finally having the chance to move beyond it a little.

Sally was rather enthusiastic and Jack was still working away from being a little unsure. As a result, Jack soon fell back onto the pillows on the rug with Sally coming to rest upon him as they kissed.

Their lips separated for a moment again. They both had such smiles on their faces.

Jack looked up into her eyes, his breaths shaky, something in the dark of his eye sockets just sparkling. "I love you." He couldn't help himself; that perfect phrase that they had shared just had to tumble over and over out of his mouth to her. "I love you. I love you so much. I love you. I want to sing songs of love to you. I want to be in love with you forever."

Sally just beamed, dimples practically coming to the seams on her face, she was smiling so much. "And I love you too, Jack. Forever." She touched the side of his skull, looking down into his eye sockets. "Let me kiss you like this, Jack? Holding you like this? I wanted to back downstairs. I promise to go slowly." She blushed.

Jack nodded. "Yes, please, of course." Something almost like a frown tried to come to his smile. "Oh Sally…I've been so alone, Sally, so lonely up here all by myself all the time for all of these years. I'm the King, I couldn't lead the other women on, I couldn't even tell everybody that sometimes the master of fright just wants an embrace or a warm touch…. I've been so crazed with loneliness that I stole a whole other world just to escape from it." His smile was becoming even more like a frown now. "I don't want to be alone anymore, I don't want to always be someone I'm not or at least never entirely myself, I don't want to be sad inside deep down. I want to be warm and safe and loved and with you, and you'll never be trapped or property or hurt ever again. I know I almost destroyed Christmas when I tried to care for it, but that was because I was doing it all wrong. But I'll cherish you in the best and right ways. I promise. That's all I want now, if you'll want it with me too." His wide eye sockets were full of love and hope and fear all at once.

Sally looked down at him and felt a tear fall from one of her eyes. She put a hand to his cheek. "Shh…" She leaned close and whispered. "I understand…I do. I've been lonely too. I know how you feel. But don't worry, Jack. We'll have each other forever. And we'll make each other feel warm and safe and loved and good…" She smiled again. "Here, I'll start." Then she started to kiss along his skull sweetly as she held against him with one hand while her other hand pressed delicately against the faint seams on the sides of his cranium.

Jack smiled and closed his eye sockets, resting back entirely against the pillows as she caressed him like this. His hands held her close, and his fingertips pressed lightly against the silk covering her back, faintly feeling her seams there again. "Thank you." He sighed. "I hope it'll be my turn to make you feel good too soon."

Sally nodded. "Yes. Just let me know when you're ready, dearest Jack." Her lips found his again.

"Splendid…Sally…" left him in a whisper between two slow, soft kisses to his mouth. He was already thinking about how at the first opening he got he would shift them so that he could be alongside her and then kiss along the seams of her face while she would probably just breathe softly and tell him how much she cared for him…and then maybe if he held her in just the right way, another one of those intriguing, breathy 'yesses' might escape her. And then his mouth would come to hers, and he would finally explore his desires instead of denying them to himself.

They were both so glad that at the end of everything, they had found this moment together here and now.

Jack and Sally continued to express themselves to each other in this way for some time, their kisses and embraces enduring and deepening as they learned to love together.

* * *

A while later the fire still gave off a soft, rich glow to the quiet room, the spaces between the curtains showed that night was still clearly present outside, and a skeleton and a ragdoll still reposed upon a rug on the floor.

Both pillows were underneath Sally's head, and she was lying there on her stomach gazing at the gentle dancing of the fire. Jack, meanwhile, was sitting up beside her and using his long, bony fingers to gently stroke and caress her hair and her back while he gazed down at her with a small smile.

He had recalled his second night of coming to her sleepwalking: the night after the first date they'd had here in the tower when he had apparently ended the evening by gently touching Sally and whispering words of his secret affections and past attraction to her. And as long as they were up here again now and he remembered (and as long as they, for the moment, had finally gotten so much passion out of themselves with kisses), Jack had figured it was as good a time as any to provide Sally with some relaxation in that way. And Sally had very eagerly accepted his offer.

Jack found himself rather distracted by the seams etched in Sally's ice-blue skin over the upper part of her back (which he could finally see now thanks to her nightgown). What shapes did those seams come out to make overall? Did any of them start up here and finish as some of the seams he could see upon her legs? Or did some of them wrap around to her front perhaps? What kind of patterns did they all form together to make? He was curious…. And he could still feel them through the silk…. He tried not to let himself get too lost in his ideas about the situation though. "Are you sure you don't want me to do anything different, Sally?" Jack asked politely now while his hands continued to glide over her shyly and simply.

Sally just shook her head and smiled more. "Not a thing. This is wonderful, Jack. So much better than how it was when you were sleepwalking." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I love your hands."

"O-Oh…thanks." Jack tried not to blanch too much. "And really? It's better? Um…how so?"

Sally smiled more to herself. "Well, when you were sleepwalking, you were almost too confident about this. Not that it wasn't romantic, but I was just overwhelmed feeling like I had no idea what to do and like you knew everything to do. But this way…I can feel it in how you touch me: there's curiosity. It's like you're getting to know me like I'm getting to know you. And of course it's also nice to know that you're real now." She giggled a little and opened her eyes again. "When you'd leave me after sleepwalking, I always just thought you had been a dream."

"Ah, I see." Jack smiled, his gaze warm. "Well, you're certainly a lovely creature to explore. How can I help myself?" A low chuckle left him.

Sally glanced over her shoulder a little. "That's what worried me most about the last few days when I didn't know what was going on: you wouldn't touch me. I was afraid it meant that you didn't quite feel the same way about me as I feel about you. But I didn't want to pressure you about it. I thought maybe you just needed some time and for things to move slowly."

"Oh, something like that," Jack admitted with a nod. "I didn't want to be too forward with you. I've never courted a lady before, after all. I was afraid too much touching might…well, scare you off. But now I understand everything's okay. Now I'm just happy." He laughed a little and leaned down closer to her. "Did I really tell you about every single time I saw you and felt attraction for you?"

"Yes." Sally giggled and nodded. "Did you really mean what you said, do you think, about caring for me even before Christmas, or were you just getting carried away with the candies?" She turned on her side a little to look at him more.

Jack swallowed and looked down shyly as he let his fingers glide back and forth over Sally's back now facing him (and tried not to focus on how her movement brought up the curve of her hip distinctly against the glow of the fire). "I've always found you a very pleasant lady, Sally…very engaging to talk to, very enchanting to look at, very interesting to think upon. It just took me until Christmas to finally realize I also found you a very pleasant_ woman_. The candies just made me admit that fact."

Sally smiled more. "You've always been so kind to me, Jack, even before we were friends, even from the first time we met: that was the memory you started with actually. I was setting up a very special afternoon tea for the Doctor's very special 'guest', the King. Then you came into the kitchen, and I got startled and dropped the whole tea tray on the floor. I was so sad. But then you just smiled and apologized for frightening me and helped me clean the whole thing up and set up a new tray before the Doctor even had time to notice." She sat up now and turned to him completely. "You told me that back then the whole time you were having tea with the Doctor you secretly wished I was having tea with you too because you wanted more than anything to get to know 'the beautiful and mysterious and elegant Sally' better." She giggled.

Jack blinked and smiled too. "Oh, is that the memory I started off with? Hmm…" he thought for a moment and chuckled, "well then, as long as we're reliving that particular sleepwalking evening properly right now, there does seem to be a memory about meeting you even before that one that I clearly didn't mention. Though I doubt very much you'll recall it. I suppose it doesn't even technically count as a meeting, but I'll always think of it as one from now on."

Sally leaned closer and looked up at him with interest. "Tell me, Jack. Please?"

Jack nodded and moved an arm more around her side. "Of course. Well…let's see…" he looked to the fire and took her hand in his free hand in his as he did so. "It was a slightly gloomy rainy day many years ago in the summer, and I was in the Doctor's lab while he explained to me all about his latest and most brilliant creation. And while he talked, I just stood there watching a strange form hidden under a white sheet on a slab."

Sally instantly blushed and glanced down with a very shy smile. "Jack…you didn't see me before I was even…I…"

Jack smiled more and nuzzled her. "Just your shape. But I know now that it was you, or the beginning of you. I just wish I'd known back then I was looking at my true love—I would have brought flowers or something and waited for you to wake up for the first time." She was looking back him now, and he was just gazing down at her. "The Doctor talked on and on about creating 'life' that afternoon, but all I remember is thinking that, awake yet or not, this poor creature must be cold with only a sheet to cover her."

Sally blushed more. "Oh Jack…"

There was quiet. But then there was a little too much quiet.

"Jack?" Sally asked softly.

Jack was just sitting there with his brow furrowed and suddenly looking more down than at her.

"I remember…" Jack started, closing his eye sockets for a moment and then opening them again and looking back to her. "The first night I came to you, you only had a sheet then too…."

Sally's eyes went a little wide as she realized he was finally remembering his first night of sleepwalking to her.

Jack's eye sockets went quite wide too. Suddenly, he moved away from her, looking down and blanching utterly. "I remember." He pulled his legs up to his chest. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I put you in that position on the first night. I can't believe I let my curiosities get that much of the better of me." He sighed and put his head in his hand. "What was I thinking?" Then his voice grew quiet. "I thought you said I was a perfect gentleman every time I came to you, Sally." He glanced at her, frowning completely.

Sally moved closer to him, her gaze never leaving his. "You were, Jack. You came to me at night—it's not your fault I was only wearing a sheet. That's probably more fabric than I'm wearing right now actually. And all you did was flirt with me. And the second time you came at night, you apologized for going too quickly the first time." She put her hand on his shoulder.

Jack's look and tone became a little dry. "You were a woman wrapped in a bed sheet, and I came up here, told you some of the more colorful things about how much I desired you, and then started to unbutton my shirt. Then you fainted." The memory was becoming quite clear and causing Jack quite a bit of internal humiliation at the moment. Even now he had to look away from her again. _'I don't know how she's stayed with me when I put her through all of that on her first night here. Even if she did think it was just a dream—how unsettling.'_

Sally, however, only leaned around him to catch his gaze again. Her tone was firm. "You only started to take off your shirt because I wanted you to, Jack, and you knew it. That was all." She blushed hotly, but anything was better than Jack retreating into shame and embarrassment again. Sally took a deep breath and softened her voice as she went on. "You remembered at the back of your mind how I would rest my hands against your chest when we got close. And you were right…I wanted to see more of you." She swallowed. "And I only fainted because in all the years we've known each other, I'd never thought about you wanting to see and touch me too until you suggested it that night. The idea was so wonderful, I couldn't bear it." She was blushing distinctly again. "You aren't the only one with curiosities, Jack, or the only one who feels inexperienced but ready to burst with passion all at the same time, or who has ideas about things they'd like to try. You said there's nothing to be ashamed of, and there is nothing to be ashamed of—we're just in love, Jack, simple as that."

Jack looked back at her, his face pensive like he was considering her arguments. He blinked a few times, almost opened his mouth once, then he blanched distinctly and finally he sighed deeply and looked forward. He lowered his knees and crossed his legs. "You're right, you know. You're exactly, completely, perfectly right." He tried to smile a little, but still frowned a touch as he added, "I'm still embarrassed a little. But you are right. We're in love. And we can't be shy about everything it involves forever."

Sally sighed and smiled in relief as she moved back slightly. "I'm happy you see it that way, Jack. I want you to feel comfortable with me more than anything else."

"I do." Jack's voice was quiet; he seemed to be thinking again. "I really do feel comfortable with you, Sally," he added, shifting around to face her now.

Sally just smiled happily back at him, sitting on her knees as they faced each other.

Then Jack started undoing the buttons at the top of his nightshirt.

Sally's eyes went wide and her bluish skin went a little pale. "J-Jack, what…"

Jack swallowed, looking down as he calmly and slowly worked at the buttons. "I feel comfortable with you, Sally. And there's nothing to be ashamed of. And I'm a little warm from the fire anyway." He had finished with the buttons. There were only a few leading down from his collar: he would have to remove the nightshirt over his head now. "And now that you mention it, you do have a habit of all but kneading against my chest whenever we embrace—it might be nice to feel that directly for a change." His hands were at the hem of his shirt; he hesitated.

Sally blinked several times and then blushed a fantastic shade of purple as her hands went to her hair to play with the strands mercilessly. "Jack, i-if you're not ready, it's fine, I didn't mean to push you into it. Um…but if you really do want to…" She couldn't hide the little smile trying to curl up the corners of her stitched mouth.

Jack paused for a moment. "Sally…back after we saved Jewel and I had to put my arm back on…did you…see me?"

Sally's eyes went a little wide. She still held her hair strands in her hand, though she didn't play with them anymore. "Yes. But just a little and just for a moment."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay." Then he glanced up at her. "Sally…I wear the suits and these long pajamas to smooth over the bones and make myself look more commanding. I'm actually rather lanky. I don't have normal proportions. I—_mmm_…" Jack closed his eye sockets as he suddenly found his lips caught up in a kiss with Sally's.

Sally continued to kiss him tenderly and then pulled back, her eyes hazed. "I want to tell you that I think you're the most attractive, desirable, and handsome man there ever was, Jack. But I think it'll help you more if I tell you _after_ you take off the shirt." She finished with a giggle and a look of pure affection and love.

As Jack took in her words, he smiled and then blanched and then beamed. "I love you so much." Then he bit his lip with a funny smile, raised his arms, and finally removed his nightshirt.

The nightshirt fell to the floor, and it suddenly took all of the courage Jack had not to let every bone in his body tremble under Sally's gaze.

And Sally just held her breath for a moment as her eyes finally took in the sight of a Jack Skellington no one else had ever seen before.

Sally decided then and there, as the first order of business, that the sight of firelight playing over shapes and shadows of ivory was the most beautiful image in the entire world. So many complex lines and features all gliding in to a perfect skeletal specimen of the most unusual and intriguing proportions; so many parts all interconnecting like a fine puzzle of manly bone for her eyes only to trace and admire. She felt so close to him. And she knew that for him to share this much with her even beyond the touching and the kissing meant his trust of her was deep and complete.

Jack, meanwhile, couldn't decide what to do. He couldn't even move, he was so overwhelmed—he felt wonderful and shy and terrified and elated all at the same time. Part of him longed for the safety and grace of his pinstripes. Another part of him fantasized about gathering his silk-clothed Sally in his strong, bare arms right now and…. He let out a deep breath. '_Must be a residual effect of the candies talking, heh_…' Sitting here like this in front of her right now, he did find it difficult again to connect with and accept his desires, and could feel their readiness to overwhelm him once more. He took in and let out a deep breath. _'Just let yourself have this, Jack. It'll be all right…'_

Finally, Sally smiled softly and spoke, looking to his eye sockets once more. "See, Jack…you're still the most attractive, desirable and handsome man there ever was. Even more attractive in a way…." She blushed.

Jack sighed in return and blanched slightly. "But I'm so awkward," he couldn't help but finally suggest, looking to her eyes hesitantly, imagining his needle-thin spine with his little boxy ribs surrounding it, his collar bone that jutted out, and then his extra long arms. And meanwhile Sally sat across from him perfect in every womanly proportion—a vision of warmth and curves.

Sally just shook her head though. "No, Jack. You're not awkward. You're thin, but perfectly built. There are so many interesting parts you have." Her eyes drifted down to the bones again.

Jack blinked and considered. He took a breath. "Would you like me to teach you about the bones and their names?" He smiled a little. "I-It's not too hard. We can start with the biggest ones and work our way from there." A touch of sheepishness came to his features. "And it would make me less nervous to talk to you about something…anything." He swallowed. "Th-The typical skeleton has over two hundred separate bones, you know. I'm a little different, I also have some cartilage to let my joints move and to give me some nerve endings for feeling and some other things, not to mention somehow I ended up with a tongue." He let out a shy little sigh.

Sally moved closer to him. "We can talk," she assured with a nod. "But could we talk about something besides bone names? I-I already know them…" She blushed, and her smile picked up on one side.

"All of them?" Jack raised an eyebrow and sat up a little straighter.

A special curl came to the end of Sally's lip, and she nodded. "Yes…." And then added in a whisper near his ear, "_In Latin_…"

A shuddery sigh left Jack, and his eye sockets grew hazed as he felt a shot go up the nerves along his spine. It might have sounded silly, but somehow he had never heard two more sensually enticing words spoken in his entire existence.

Sally just smiled more. He was blanching: so cute. And his small, bony chest was rising and falling lightly with shy breaths: so attractive. She shifted around to his side. "I've always liked skeletons, so I've made it a point to study them. See…" she lightly touched the top of his head, "Cranium…" she touched his collar bone, "Clavicle…" she reached around to touch his back, "Vertebrae…" She let her fingertips lightly walk down a few, and watched with her leaves practically rustling inside of her as Jack's spine actually arched in response. A light giggle left her, and she moved her hand back around to the front of him. "Sternum…" Her hand went in the direction of his ribs, but she paused for a moment and looked to Jack.

There weren't words for Jack. Though now as she paused for a moment, the ability for speech slowly came back to him.

His eye sockets hazed in elation, his smile tender, the Pumpkin King looked to Sally and nodded. "You can touch more. It's okay, Sally. As long as it's you and you've really always wanted to, it's okay." He smiled sheepishly. "I just wish I wasn't so angular. You probably won't be comfortable resting against my chest like this."

Sally smiled too and just shook her head. "I'll take my chances, Jack." Then she moved forward to grasp one of his lower ribs first. Dally giggled softly, feeling the smoothness and sturdiness of the bone as she allowed herself to apply a little more pressure and prepared to run her fingers over his whole rib cage for the first—

_SNAP._

Jack's lowest rib bone had just snapped out of his spine, and Sally was now holding it in her hand, her eyes wide.

There was total silence for a moment.

Then Sally's face fell into panic. "Oh! I…I broke your bone!" She looked to Jack, her eyes wide, her frown so great. "I broke your bone, I'm so sorry!" Her hand was shaking as she held the bone and blushed in mortification. '_I can't believe this! He opens up to me, shares with me, wants an intimate night with me, and I broke one of his bones! He said he can take his bones off, but…an arm's supposed to come off, or his skull—something at a joint! Not a rib! I broke his rib!'_

Jack had been in quite a bit of shock himself at first (due entirely to Sally's hysterical reaction rather than to the actual removal of his rib, of course). Now, however, he blinked and held a hand out to her. "No, no, Sally, no…" He touched her shoulder and smiled again. "Sally, shh, it's okay, it really is."

Sally just looked back at him in sad confusion, tears nearly in her eyes. "No, it's not. I broke you. We have to set the bone right away so that it heals properly. I'm sorry." She hung her head.

Jack angled his skull downward, trying to catch her eyes, his smile growing. "You did not break me, Sally. Watch, just watch, I promise." He took the bone from her hand, and Sally did look up a little. Then Jack, with a calm smile, put the bone near its usual position and gave the end a push against his spine.

_Snap_.

Jack took his hand away—the bone was now perfectly in place once again.

Sally raised an eyebrow, letting her gaze meet his again.

Jack explained. "All of my bones can come on or off at any joints or sockets, not just the major ones. It's just like how you can repair any rip in your cloth skin or broken seam, like when your arm came off the other day and I panicked. It doesn't hurt or bother me just like it really didn't hurt or bother you. In fact, I often play fetch with Zero by taking out a rib bone and throwing it for him to retrieve. You could play with us too next time if you want." He smiled more and took her hand to give it a squeeze.

Sally almost smiled a little again and let out such a sigh of relief. But then she glanced down. "I'm still so embarrassed. I should have realized you wouldn't break so easily. I didn't mean to panic." She smiled sheepishly. "I just care a lot about…being good for you."

Jack squeezed her hand a little more, catching her eyes with his eye sockets. "You're the best for me. You're my sanity. I'm at my best when I'm with you."

Sally's features lit. Then she suddenly came forward and caught against him in an embrace with her palms flat against his chest, clearly savoring the feel for his ribs underneath her hands for the first time.

Jack blinked at first but then smiled softly and put his arms around her to hold her close. "A-Are you comfortable?" he whispered.

Sally nodded. "Yes," she cooed. "You feel just as warm and strong and nice as I always imagined."

Jack's mouth quirked into a little smile. "You feel quite nice yourself." She had to be the softest dolly in the world. '_And with the softest hair_…' he thought to himself as he ran his fingers through it a little yet again tonight, feeling like he could do so for hours if she would let him.

Sally sighed in such contentment. "Jack," she started, pulling back a little to look up at him, "I know you have a lot to do for Halloween and the town, but after everything that's happened could we spend the day together tomorrow just once more this week? I'll help you with Halloween plans, and I won't distract you from anything really important. I'd just like to spend the day together doing anything—just errands or even cleaning. I want to enjoy how close we are now."

Jack nodded. "Of course. I think one more day can be managed, all things considered. And speaking of errands, now that it looks like you'll be here for quite a while, I really would like us to go into town together and get you some nice furnishings for up here, starting with a bed." He glanced at her sofa. "You need a proper place to sleep. Even the Doctor let you have a bed."

Sally bit her lower lip. "Jack, I don't want to be a bother. The sofa is fine, really. I can save up for anything else I need up here once I get my sewing machine working and start getting customers."

Jack just chuckled and looked down into her eyes with an understanding smile. "However much I crave to shower you with satins and trinkets and the finest things any woman could ask for, I promise I will restrain myself if it will make you uncomfortable. But please, at least let me get you a proper bed, Sally. If you really want to 'earn' it then all I ask is that you continue keeping the space up here so tidy and lived-in—I'm afraid it's been sadly neglected by me for centuries. All right?"

Sally sighed and nodded, smiling again. "Okay, Jack. Maybe a bed would be sort of nice."

"And some nice spider web silk blankets and vulture down stuffed pillows to go along with it?" he asked hopefully.

Sally eyed him, grinning a little. "We'll see. At the very least maybe fabric for some new blankets and pillows would be nice. Um…just…no more flannel please, Jack?" she asked sheepishly. "It was very nice of you to buy me so much warm fabric like that, but I don't chill easily and I like things that are a bit more flexible. Silk is nice but just cotton would be wonderful. I can make a lot of comfortable things out of cotton." She smiled brightly.

Jack considered and nodded. "Oh all right, my Sally. You're the seamstress, you know best." He smiled more. "And you do look so nice in your cotton patchwork dress…and in your silk nightgown tonight." He chuckled warmly. "Well, now that we've decided about fabrics, let's talk about what kind of bed you might like—I was thinking something with a regal canopy and black gossamer curtains."

Sally giggled and shifted so she was leaning up close beside him, still resting against his chest. "Why don't you just buy us a castle, Jack, and we can call it a day?"

Jack chuckled and nuzzled the top of her head with his skull as his arm curled even more around her waist to pull her in close. "It's a thought."

Sally laughed in reply.

The two then proceeded to discuss different furnishings for Sally's little room, making jokes and laughing and coming up with wonderful ideas and cuddling all at the same time just like only dearest friends could.

The hour was so late, and neither one of them cared.

* * *

Jack and Sally had talked for a while (and Sally had let her hands roam over a few of Jack's bones while Jack had blanched and held back a chuckle every time she said one of their names in Latin). Now, however, the couple was just lying side by side on the pillows near the fire, holding each other.

Sally was quietly finishing up a story to Jack. She didn't smile and she didn't look to his eye sockets as she spoke, though Jack looked intently down at her.

Sally swallowed, continuing her narrative. "…So, um…while my hands were untying Santa, Oogie stopped stroking my leg to take off my shoe. Then he started stroking it again and tickling me and saying things that I tried not to hear."

She was quiet for a moment.

Jack waited, the frown on his skull so deep.

Sally sighed and went on. "Santa started climbing up the rope ladder I'd lowered down. While that was happening, I guess Oogie got bored with touching just my ankles and knee. So he pulled my leg up against his body and started to touch up my thigh." Sally blushed very much. "B-But then, of course, there wasn't anything above the thigh, and he realized and then turned around and caught us. Then Oogie did a big, screaming inhale and pulled Santa and me down to his lair." Sally had her legs pulled up to her chest a little. She paused again for a moment. She still didn't look directly at Jack.

Jack wished more than anything that she would look at him though. He continued to wait for her to finish.

"Um…" Sally went on with a swallow, "Once we were down there, he tied Santa back on the slab. I had just enough time to get my hands to stitch themselves back on my arms. But Oogie still had my leg. He walked over to me with it and threw it at me. Then he told me to sew myself back together because he…he liked his meals whole and not in pieces. Then he grinned and made me let him watch me while I sewed the lower part of my thigh back to the upper part of my thigh. Then he had me go over to the slab, and he tied me up too next to Santa. He told me that it was a shame a woman of my 'talents' had to perish like this. Then he said more mean things to both of us. And I yelled some things back at him. And that's the end. Then you came later."

Her eyes finally came up, but Jack noticed Sally still wasn't looking at him—she was looking over him, past him, through him almost into the fire. Her features reminded him of earlier when they had started talking about the Doctor but worse—she looked almost beyond anger. Then she blinked and just looked tired. And finally now Sally let out a breath and rested her head on the pillow, closing her eyes.

Jack let her be quiet and still for a moment. Then he put an arm around her and pulled her close. Her head came against his chest. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, shaking his skull. "Oh Sally…" He stroked her hair. He heard her let out a deep sigh and then he became aware of a strange feeling on his rib bones—wetness? He blinked, but then realized…she must be crying. He frowned all the more and hugged her even more tightly. "It was wrong that all of that happened to you. I'll never let anything hurt you for the rest of eternity. I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Sally let out another deep sigh and pulled back a little. She really hadn't been sobbing; she had just closed her eyes and found a few tears there that had escaped. She wiped them away now though and explained to him. "It's not that, Jack. I know he can't hurt me and that you're here for me. I know it was bad, but I can live with it, I can get better about it. It's just…" she frowned more, "I'm not scary…or powerful…or intimidating…. And so the only asset I have in an emergency is that the Doctor decided he wanted someone pretty to look at puttering around his house when he was creating me. I finally had my chance to really help the town and you and save Christmas when things got bad, but I couldn't do it by being frightening like any other person in Halloween Town would. I could only do it by doing just what I told Lock, Shock and Barrel—showing a little leg." She cringed. "I couldn't scare Oogie. I didn't even think to try."

Jack touched her cheek and sighed and spoke. "Oh Sally—yes, you are an attractive woman. But that doesn't mean your physical appeal is your only asset. Not at all, never. Listen…" he gently raised her head to let her teary eyes meet his, "you're so clever and so brave and so loyal. Do you think just anybody could have come up with the plan of getting Santa to safety all by herself? No. Do you think anybody could have deduced where Santa was in the first place in the middle of all that chaos on Christmas Eve? Absolutely not. Do you think anybody could come up with elaborate plans for escaping her troubled home or could have brewed up a basket of potions and good omens for me during my holiday studies like what was in that little basket you left for me outside of my window that one time? Never. And do you think anybody would have been brave enough to face Oogie with any strategy at all, scary or not scary? Absolutely not."

Jack angled his skull downward, looking even more into Sally's eyes. "You understand the kindness and the beauty and the wonder behind Halloween and horror in a way I've never seen anyone else around here even come close to. You do have skills in so many areas other than just looking pretty. And I should know—I adore you for all of those complex and captivating traits you posses, my Sally. You're an asset to Halloween in every way." He smiled tenderly into her eyes and then added in a whisper, "I love you. You're brilliant inside. And terrifying too in whatever way you want to be, whatever way is best for you."

Sally finally smiled again. Then she instantly came forward and clung to Jack. "Thank you…" Her voice was barely a whisper. "My dearest Jack."

Jack just gently patted her on the back and smiled as well, cradling her in his arms.

They didn't need words right now. They only needed to be close to each other.

* * *

However, the happy couple did find themselves needing quite a few more kisses a little later as they night wore on and the moonlight through the curtained windows increased and the fire started to dim.

This instance of intimacy wasn't quite as intense as earlier when there had been so much passion and romantic tension for both of them to finally give in to. For now, Jack and Sally just rested close, propped up with pillows on their rug and smiling as they shared soft, peaceful, happy kisses between saying sweet things to each other.

"You know, Sally…" Jack grinned. "I was quite worried when we were fighting earlier. But, um…now I think fighting might not be _so_ bad. Making up seems like a lovely thing so far. And I wouldn't mind the chance to make up more in the future," he finished with a chuckle as he cuddled close with Sally and kissed the seams of her soft cheeks.

Sally giggled in return and nodded, kissing his bony lips a few times and the edges of his skull before replying. "I like making up too even though I'm sorry we have to fight first to do it." She looked down a little, though she still smiled. "I didn't mean to get so jealous earlier, Jack, about Flora. I know you'd never really see another woman while you were seeing me. And I didn't mean to say that you thought me and the town weren't good enough for you anymore. I know that you love us all even if you like to try new things." Her eyes came back up again.

Jack nodded. "It's all right, Sally—I'm just sorry I made you feel jealous by hiding Flora and my Valentine Town trips in the first place." He gave her nose a little kiss and chuckled again. "But of course I love you and our town more than any other woman or place. Who could betray the perfect woman or the perfect holiday?" He grinned, touching her cheek and then her arm. "You're so splendidly soft and warm, you know. I'm probably going to start hugging you a dozen times a day just to savor the feeling." He chuckled again.

Sally's eyes went hazed and she reached up to gently trace his jawline with one of her fingers. "You can hug me all you want, Jack. I like hugs…I just hope they come with kisses." She shifted a little closer.

Jack swallowed and smiled more. "I-I…" he nodded, "yes, certainly, of course…"

Sally kissed his lips softly, then whispered, "Jack, kiss me deeply again, like we tried earlier when we were together…please. I loved that." She swallowed, her voice a whisper. "For someone who's never kissed before, you seem very, um…advanced at it."

Jack smiled shyly too. As they had laid together finally physically expressing themselves to each other earlier, he really had let himself get carried away and start to explore those passions she had assured him she wanted to get to know. "Just because I never kissed before doesn't mean I never thought about it privately…or considered different ways I might go about it." He swallowed, then he looked at her with a touch of interest, an eyebrow raised. "You liked that then, what we tried?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. It was very exciting. And it felt very nice." She giggled, her eyes completely hazed and all but sparkling in the glow of the firelight.

Jack smiled and gazed back at her with a similar dreamy look, his eye sockets so dark and inviting. "Oh. Well, then…" And then he put an arm around her waist to pull her a little close and smirked just a little for fun. "Kiss me, my delightful dolly?" His eye sockets narrowed, and something of the 'terrifying Pumpkin King' twinkled in them.

Sally beamed a little and then giggled more. "Jack!" She sighed and nodded, then threw her arms around his neck. "Yes, my Pumpkin King, I'll kiss you…" Then she put her lips to his and left them parted slightly.

Jack let out a deep sigh through his nose and then pressed his mouth against hers, shifting to let his bare chest touch her silk-clothed one. He kissed gently at first, and then his hand came to cup her cheek and his bony lips parted. A light gasp left Sally, and as Jack held her even more closely, a sigh escaped his nose. His hand on her back all but gripped against the fabric over her cloth skin

The two of them separated after many moments.

Sally smiled blissfully, breathing shallowly, her lips still slightly parted. All she could think about was something Jack had said to her a few days ago when he had been preparing to sew her arm back on for her and wasn't sure about wetting the thread in his mouth to thread the needle. 'But Sally, my tongue's forked—will it still work for wetting the thread?' She had blushed at the question. And now she blushed at knowing his mouth (and that fascinating tongue) more intimately than she had ever dreamed.

Jack was in a similar state. Kissing her like that felt so intimate, he had no idea how he didn't burst. He caught his breath and looked into her eyes. "Sally? Can I ask you something?" Jack released his hold on her a little and raised an eyebrow. "What are we…exactly? I-I mean…we're courting but…Lock, Shock and Barrel suggested 'boyfriend and girlfriend', but I feel like a teenager thinking about it that way. And besides, I'm meant to be with you: I want something that captures how deep that is."

Sally let out a sigh and gently pressed her hands to his chest, smiling in understanding. "You're right. I don't like boyfriend and girlfriend either. Did you have a suggestion for something else? I have one too." She blushed a little.

Jack shrugged and glanced down. "I had one. But it's too soon for it." He blanched, but then looked up and saw her looking at him with such sweet curiosity. He sighed. "I thought it would be nice if I was just your king and you were just my queen. B-But considering the official titles, I'm not sure if that would be best until, um…well…we probably shouldn't go by that unless we were married, that's all." He looked down completely, suddenly finding the pattern of the rug beneath them very interesting.

Sally was beaming. '_He does want to marry me_.' Her leaves fluttered as she held back a giggle and whispered softly to him in return. "Okay. We'll save that then until we get married." She kissed his cheek and went on before he could say anything else. "My idea was just that we were lovers. I'm your lover and you're mine. What do you think?"

Jack looked back at her with wide eye sockets for a moment. Then he blanched and grinned. "Erm…" '_I can't believe I just talked about marrying her. And she…talked about it too_.' "I…lovers would be perfectly fine, my Quee—erm…Sally." He chuckled, unable to help himself.

Sally giggled and gave his lips a few more kisses, which he did in return to hers too.

Then Sally yawned once…then again, and found herself blinking a few times.

Jack looked down at her warmly. "You're tired, Sally. I've been keeping you up rather late this evening. But you deserve to go to sleep now: we can always have more nights like this."

Sally blinked a few times, coming out of her slight sleepy daze. "I…yes, I'm tired." She sat up. "But…" she blushed and looked down, biting her lip.

Jack sat up too. "Yes, Sally? What is it?"

She let out a breath and then let her eyes meet his eye sockets. "I asked you before not to leave before morning if you accidentally sleepwalked and came up here. But you didn't sleepwalk…but I still don't want you to go." Her features were rosy, and it took everything she had to keep eye contact with him. "Jack…I want you to stay the night with me up here." She blinked. "I-I mean, sleeping on the sofa with me. Only if it wouldn't bother you. I understand you're still a little shy, but I just don't want you to go. I love you."

Jack just sat there with his eye sockets very wide. He was quiet at first.

Was Jack more than a little nervous about possibly spending the night closely wrapped up with his silken-clad Sally in a warm cocoon of blankets and especially after all of the intimacy they had shared this evening? Yes. Was he also starting to like that kind of nervousness? Yes, very much so. And, at the bottom of everything, he didn't want to leave either. So… "I don't want to go either," Jack replied to Sally's unsure look. "And I'm tired too. I'll sleep with you, Sally." He blanched brightly. "I-I mean, sleep by you, go to sleep with you…" A final deep sigh left him. "I'm sorry, I-I've never spent the night with a woman before."

Sally's smile was warm. She reached out and took his hands in hers and looked into his eye sockets. "And I've never spent the night with a man before. We can share our experiences together. I'm sure it'll make for a lovely memory."

Jack's gentle smile returned completely. He nodded. "Yes. I'm sure too." He swallowed. "Um, I'd prefer to put my shirt back on before we go into bed together." Jack felt like the marrow in his skull was on fire.

Sally only nodded and then took his nightshirt from its place folded up on the floor and handed it to him. "Here, Jack."

"Thank you, Sally." Jack took the shirt and pulled it over his head again. He tried to do up the buttons but fumbled a little in his nervousness

Sally came close and put her hands on the buttons. "Here, let me." Her nimble seamstress fingers got them together in barely a few seconds.

"Thanks," Jack whispered shyly.

A blushing Sally nodded and stood up. She took the pillows and walked slowly back over to her bed.

Jack remained on the floor for a moment, rather distracted by the sight of her standing again in that lovely garment she had sewn, watching how she moved away with just the lightest sway of her hips as she prepared to fix up their bed. Oh, and how the firelight glowed in patches on the midnight blue and black silk, not to mention the warm hue it added to her cloth skin… Jack let out a shuddery sigh and stood up now. As soon as Sally had the bed made up once more, she climbed in under the covers and looked to Jack expectantly.

Jack stood and approached. He only hesitated a moment but then slipped into the little bed beside her.

Though the sofa was small, between Sally's petiteness and Jack's thinness, they fit all right together side by side.

Jack wasn't sure what to do or say or how to move for a moment.

Then a tired Sally settled things by smiling and turning towards him to cuddle up against him. She closed her eyes. "Goodnight, my dearest, Jack. I hope you have pleasant nightmares. I love you."

Jack melted under her touch and nodded. He let his skull rest on some of her yarn hair and closed his eye sockets as one of his hands came to rest over her side. "I hope you have pleasant nightmares too, my splendid Sally. Goodnight. And I love you too."

They both let out soft breaths.

The room became quiet except for the final crackling embers of the fire as it lowered and lowered and then eventually died completely, leaving Jack and Sally slumbering together in the cozy darkness of the tower (and in the warmth of their shared embrace) until morning.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now! I hope you liked the climax of Jack and Sally's romantic time (but I promise there'll also be more romance to come!). Things are pretty interesting when the two of them wake up the next morning actually lol. I'll try to have the next chapter up by the end of the month (I'm going away next weekend for the holiday, and it's throwing off my update schedule a tiny bit ^^). Thanks for reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	23. Mornings Together

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Sorry about the update delay—I was away for a bit, and then I had hard drive issues _ But anyway, here's another chapter! ^_^ So excited that this story's almost complete!

Tiny notice: while the content for the rest of this story, just like all the other chapters of this story, is still definitely at the teen level, for these last few chapters, every once in a while, Jack and Sally may imply something about increasing their intimacy in the future to an adult level. There's no explicit language used, nothing ever actually happens, but…as two adults who are thinking about marriage (and perhaps children) the subject comes up here and there (mostly in the epilogue where they really do have a serious talk about having children). So, just wanted to give a heads up : )

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 23:**

**Mornings Together**

* * *

Jack and Sally had stayed up rather late the previous evening, and so the two of them slept in rather late the following morning. Indeed, the couple probably would have dozed straight through to the afternoon if the orange sunlight leaking through a slight opening in the curtains of one of the windows hadn't begun to shine directly on Jack and Sally as the morning wore on.

As the light hit his eye sockets, Jack cringed a little and felt himself pulled to consciousness. His first response was to tug his nightcap down a little more and to move closer to the very soft source of warmth he had come to embrace in the night. _'I'll have to get Sally thicker curtain material for up here_,' he thought to himself. _'I like my room better. Only one window, and I keep it covered over with black damask all night. It's so nice and gloomy. We should sleep together in there next time…. The bed's bigger too_.' He yawned and started trying to fall back asleep.

Then a true appreciation of the thoughts he had just had suddenly hit Jack, upon which his eye sockets popped open wide and he blanched considerably.

The first batch of memories that came into his skull were of his evening together with Sally yesterday and everything that had led to them sharing her sofa together as a bed. The second batch of memories that came into his skull were of all the little wisps of dreams he'd had of Sally last night—happy images of cuddling with her and kissing her and even just looking into his eyes endlessly.

Jack's skull felt warm. '_At least I didn't sleepwalk and seek out things like that from her._' That fact was a great relief to him. And, well…He smiled a little to himself. '_Maybe it's a final effect of those candies, making me dream of her so much. Whatever it was, it was nice.' _Jack sighed dreamily.

At the sound of his sigh, Sally yawned in her sleep.

Now Jack humbly let his eye sockets come up to view Sally's face and form as she slumbered near him. She seemed so serene. He could notice all of the gentle stitches covering her face; her shoulders were breathtaking; and he thought the gentle lines of her body under the covers were pure art. And that scent she had of autumn spices lingered on their pillow in the loveliest of ways.

Jack savored his closeness to her and the warmth they somehow made together even in death. He wasn't sure how he had ever lived without mornings like this one. Jack didn't want to disturb her, but he did wish she would wake up soon to share this special moment with him: he wanted her to smile and for them to talk and laugh together and plan their day.

The sunlight shining through the curtain was growing brighter, and Sally yawned again and pouted a little as the light finally hit her closed eyes. She let out a breath, and then her eyes fluttered open. She was quiet and seemed calm for a moment. Then she saw Jack: she blushed, and her smile grew considerably.

Jack smiled back at her.

Sally realized right away that she wasn't dreaming—the colors and the warmth and the embers and herb scent of Jack on her pillow were simply too real. And as she recalled their time together last night, she decided that the sight of Jack's eye sockets was the most comforting and beautiful image to wake up to: they were so warm and inviting and full of such love for her. "Good morning, dearest Jack." Sally closed her eyes again and nuzzled against his skull. "I love you."

Jack chuckled softly. "Good morning, most splendid Sally." He whispered by her ear. "I love you too." He kissed the top of her head and then nuzzled her as well.

Sally let out a content sigh and opened her eyes again. "What time do you think it is?"

Jack shrugged. "Oh, rather late in the morning for the sun to be shining through that window. I'm not surprised though—we've both been through so much lately, we needed a good night's sleep." He kissed her lips softly. "Are you hungry?"

Sally nodded. "I…I guess…" She blinked a few times, and Jack was about to ask her if she was all right when suddenly Sally beamed and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Jack, before anything else, thank you for staying with me last night. I always wanted…I love you so much, I always dreamed of a moment like this with you…." She squeezed him even more tightly.

Jack blinked at the sudden burst of affection but then patted her back gently. "Don't thank me. Please. It was my honor." He kissed her cheek and then pulled back a little. "I'm just a humble skeleton man who's courting you. And besides…we can have many more mornings like this if you'd like." Jack swallowed and smiled.

Sally bit her lower lip slightly: her gaze came back to his, and she raised an eyebrow. "Can we have more mornings like this even once I have a bed up here to sleep on instead of a sofa?" She blushed.

Jack blinked and blanched just a little. He gave a small nod. "If you want to, I wouldn't mind at all. As long as we could just take things slowly for a while—these last few months, and especially last few days, have been such a whirlwind after all." He smiled a little and added, "It might take a while to find you a bed and get it all set up in here. Until then we could spend some mornings like this on your sofa. Or we could spend a morning or two in _my_ bed." Jack let out a breath, trying not to tremble. "It's a bit small but definitely larger than this sofa. I'm sure it would accommodate us."

Sally's eyes went wide and her mouth went into a little 'o.' She hadn't been expecting… "I-If…you'd be comfortable, I don't see why not, Jack." She nodded. "A-And, of course we could take things slowly." '_Jack's room…Jack's bed_.' She let out a breath. "Maybe we could start up here on the sofa for a while and just work our way to my bed or your bed?"

Jack nodded. "I think that sounds lovely."

Sally smiled and then giggled a little. "Or…we really could just run off together like you suggested the final time you came to me in your sleep—just you and me and celebrating a holiday all about each other. And we could make our own special place to sleep while we're there." She traced gently over his shirt with a fingertip.

Jack chuckled at her words and at the slightly ticklish action. "Very funny. Please…don't tempt me." He sighed and grinned a little. "At the very least I might end up just never wanting to leave this cozy sofa that I've had the privilege of sharing with you." He reached up and gently traced a seam along the curve of her cheek with his thumb.

"I wish we never had to." Sally blushed lightly, giggling more at the feeling of his finger lightly dancing over her stitches there. "I know we have other things to do, but I wouldn't mind a day lying in bed with you." She cuddled up close to his chest and yawned. "Can we at least spend a few more minutes together here?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, of course, my darling." He put an arm over her. "I couldn't deny my lover."

Sally blushed and almost swooned at him using the word she had suggested last night. "And I couldn't deny you either, my lover…my King." She beamed and rested her head even more deeply against Jack's chest and the pillow.

Jack chuckled. It was so nice to hear her call him lover too. And he did still love 'my King'… "Besides," he continued, brushing through a few strands of her hair underneath the covers, "we need all the rest we can get. Oh, it's going to be such a long day." He yawned. "I can't even imagine what will be expected of us. We'll have Halloween planning; we should probably check on Lock, Shock and Barrel; it would be nice if we popped over to see the Doctor and Jewel; I should really send a thank you message to Flora and Marigold for all of their help. And of course we'll have to hold a town meeting to wrap things up with the bug issue and to thank the town for their letter and to give everyone the latest update on our 'torrid, scandalous love affair'."

Sally giggled. "But I thought we weren't a scandal anymore, Jack—everyone seems to approve now."

Jack laughed and nodded. "Oh, yes, they approve, but that doesn't mean we won't be the gossip of the entire town for the next ten months until Halloween. The Pumpkin King dwelling all alone with his ravishing rag doll friend…."

Sally smiled more and reached up to play with the little ball at the end of his nightcap. "Oh, well then, I suppose they'll be expecting me to chase after you and dote on you and cry your praises everywhere we go as the most handsome and frightening man who ever lived."

Jack grinned completely. "Not as much as they'll be expecting me to fulfill every assumption every one of them has ever made about me secretly being some fiery and passionate lover. I'm sure they're imagining I'll tango with you through the streets and neck with you on every corner in the town." Jack blanched and laughed warmly all the more.

Sally's grin picked up on one side. "Or we could just avoid any awkward moments by staying in bed together forever."

Jack's grin picked up as well at the little jest. Then he sighed and sat up a little to look down at her. "I feel myself becoming horribly irresponsible and carefree the closer I get to you, Sally. And do you know what?" He leaned in closer to her, his eye sockets practically sparkling and his bony grin as wide as could be. "I'm happier than I've ever been, my dearest Sally doll." The Pumpkin King then leaned down to kiss Sally's lips only to have a blushing Sally put her arms around him and pull him close so that their kiss simply didn't have to end.

Jack was surprised at first at her move but then quickly found himself settling into his position lying over her while she held him. It reminded him of when he had rolled on top of her that day he had accidentally stitched her arm to his sleeve but better: he felt so much more comfortable about exploring their relationship now. And she was so warm and soft all over; he could feel himself sinking against her without even trying as his hands held her shoulders and their lips didn't separate.

Soon their passion cooled to deep romantic calm, and Jack and Sally's lips came apart at moments only to touch together again. Sally's arms came to hold more completely around Jack's small torso, and Jack's hands clung to Sally even more fully.

Their kissing found a gentle rhythm together.

Then Jack felt a compulsion and led his lips to Sally's cheek and then down toward her long neck. Her sweet mouth was a beautiful start, but there was so much more to her. She fascinated him beyond all reason, and he wanted to learn and explore all he could about her. He wanted things he had never willfully imagined wanting with her or anybody else because the idea had been too unreal to him until now.

And as Sally felt her mouth become free and Jack's mouth come to the seams of her throat, she closed her eyes, smiling, and let shallow breaths escape her. She didn't know what to think: she was filled with anticipation and wonder. She had dreamed about moments like these with him, daydreamed, longed. She…

Jack worked at the seams of her neck so slowly and so deeply. The way she held close and moved and breathed beneath him as he doted on her was more than enough to keep him pursuing this line of intimacy. He felt like each set of stitches were a new pair of lips for him to kiss.

Sally's breaths grew shallower and shallower. "J-Jack…" barely left her in a whisper. "Oh…mmm…" finally left her in a light moan she couldn't help.

The sound made Jack lock up and gasp. He removed his mouth from her neck and let a bit of reality return to him. He realized along with kissing her neck (and now collar) he also had a leg entwined with hers beneath the covers and his hands were pressing into the bare flesh of her shoulders so deeply he was surprised he didn't cause a seam to pop from the pressure. He also became very aware that the marrow in his bones was rushing like crazy, probably causing his entire body to blanch. Jack finally just looked down at the beautiful woman beneath him for a moment, trying to catch his breath, trying to think.

Once Jack's kisses had stopped, it had taken Sally a moment but now she blinked a few times and started to come back to reality herself. She became aware of their legs, aware of his hands, aware of her own hands (one almost gripping his spine, and the other which had moved farther down his spine than she had ever intended), and of course she became fully aware of the high degree of warmth they were generating. It was almost uncomfortably hot now on the sofa.

Jack, meanwhile, was stuck looking down into Sally's eyes with his eye sockets wide.

Sally noticed his hesitation, and she could see in the slight angle of those big eye sockets of his the uncertainty and almost fear he must be feeling. She tried to smile a little and to avoid the trembles trying to overtake her. "Jack." She wasn't sure how to put her thought at first, then settled on… "Is something on your mind?"

Jack blinked and blanched but at least found his voice again. "I…" He looked down from her eyes. "I…yes." '_It's okay. It's okay, you trust her and there's nothing bad about love, nothing at all._' "You and me. Together… Being together…" Jack sighed and frowned. "I'm so sorry for putting you in this position," he mumbled out quickly, blanching white-hot. "I've never…" He frowned more. "I'm sorry," he finished very softly, barely looking up.

Sally sighed softly and caught his eyes again. She shook her head. "Don't be. I…I think about you and me together sometimes too, Jack. There really are many ways to express love, after all." Her voice was very quiet, and she blushed so darkly. "I'm curious too, Jack. And it's a nice thought for one day…even if we're going slowly for now."

"Yes," Jack gave a nod, "slowly." He took a breath. "It would be a wonderful thing to share…" he added as he managed to look into her eyes fully again. He raised part of his brow, and in response Sally just smiled shyly and gave the lightest, affirming nod. Jack gave her a slight nod in return. "One day we'll share then," he offered with the shyest smile. Then he swallowed and added quickly, "F-For now though, um…I'm not really sure how to get off of you. I'm quite terrified that any place I touch to start pushing away is somehow going to manage to be even more intimate than any place I'm already in contact with." He smiled sheepishly.

Sally just smiled more. "Oh, I can fix that, Jack. But first, just relax—I can feel how tense you are all over. You don't have to be. I'm not so scary." A small warm laugh left her. "Just think of me as your dearest friend who happens to be a woman. Don't worry, you won't offend me, I promise." She blushed more. "I like being this close to you actually."

Jack blanched slightly, then nodded and took a breath and did relax himself. Doing so made him melt a bit more against her, sinking upon the softness of her cloth and the silk nightgown covering her. But her words were soothing, and he managed to be okay. (In fact, he was actually more than okay with his thin bones nestling upon her luxurious curves beneath the blankets, but he tried not to think about that fact too much right now). "All right, Sally." Jack's gaze remained locked with hers for guidance. "Now what?"

Sally's smile remained warm as ever. "Now this, silly skeleton man." She brought her lips up to kiss his gently. Then she pulled away, held on to him very tightly, and turned them both around in the blankets which resulted in Jack lying flat on his back on the sofa and Sally sitting over him, the blankets a bit twisted around her body. "There." She pushed up a little to sit up over him with a smile. "See, all better, Jack." She leaned down and gave one final soft kiss to his forehead and then moved off of him to sit on the far end of the sofa.

Jack just lay prone on his back for a few seconds, staring up at the ceiling with wide eye sockets. He almost could have moaned himself at what he had just experienced and the feeling it had left him with. _'She's…rather creative isn't she?'_ The corner of his mouth twitched a little upward. '_Oh I'm going to like very much spending mornings with her, I think, even if I will blanch almost the entire time we're having them._' Finally he couldn't help smiling at the whole thing as he sat up and looked to her. "So very clever, my darling. I approve." He reached over and took her hand to raise it and kiss the back of it. "Thank you," he added when he was finished,

Sally giggled. "Jack." She shook her head with a grin and pulled back her hand. "Come on, be serious, we really do have to get up—I think it must be practically noon. We have to see everybody in town, and before that I have to make the bed and we both have to get dressed and then we really should have something to eat."

Jack smiled and nodded. "Yes, you're quite right my dearest." He yawned and stood up, going over to the window and pulling aside the curtain a little to double check the position of the sun. "Oh dear, yes, it really must be practically noon. Hmm…I haven't slept until noon in ages." He smiled to himself and stretched upward.

From her position still seated on the edge of the sofa, Sally watched as his stretching before the brightly illuminated window caused the sun to shine through his shirt, showing her the shadows of all of his ribs and spine. She sighed dreamily.

Jack turned at the sound and lowered his arms. "What is it, Sally?"

She just blushed and smiled more. "From the sunlight I could sort of see your bones and…you're just such a beautiful man, Jack. That's all." Sally swallowed and then stood up and quickly started making the bed.

Jack blinked and looked down. He realized what she meant—he could see the light shining through his shirt too now that he looked. A proud grin came to his features, and he walked back over to her. "Oh, I see." He looked down. "Well, as someone who always saw himself as 'lanky' at best, I'll take 'beautiful man' as the highest compliment, my dear lady." He gave her a small bow.

Sally just laughed and shook her head as she finished folding the blankets. "Jack…"

Jack laughed too and straightened up. "Can I help you finish making the bed, Sally? It's either that or you let me prepare our entire meal for you once you get downstairs." He picked up a sheet that she had laid aside over the back of the sofa.

Sally smiled but shook her head. "Thank you, Jack, but it's all right. I'm practically done with the bed already, and I need that sheet for something else anyway." She took it from him and blushed slightly. "You can cook for me if you'd like to, but I wouldn't mind helping. For now though let's just both get dressed and ready for the day, and then we can talk about what we want to do next."

"As you wish, my Sally." Jack nodded.

Sally nodded in return and kissed him on the cheek. Then she headed over to the only windowless corner of the room where, Jack noticed, most of her clothes and sewing items were stacked on a small stool. There was also a sturdy piece of string set up high near the ceiling stretching from one wall to the next across the corner. Sally threw the sheet over the string, and as it hung down it sectioned off that small space of the room.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Sally, what do you use the sheet for?"

Sally blushed and turned to him a little. "I dress and undress behind it. I just like my privacy, I suppose." Then she slipped behind the curtain.

Jack blinked. "Oh." He tried not to blanch too much. "Erm, if you wouldn't mind the indulgence, I could purchase you an actual changing screen to go with your bed." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking down a little and shuffling a bit toward the trap door. "I-I actually keep one in my own room—strange coincidence that we both like the idea of them, I guess."

"Yes, that is funny," Sally agreed in understanding from behind the curtain. "Hmm…well, if we find a simple one in town, I wouldn't mind it for up here."

"Splendid," Jack offered with a relieved sigh, and then he smiled and prepared to exit the room.

Suddenly, though, he paused as his ears caught the light sound of fabric gently falling to fabric.

Jack glanced toward Sally's sheet, unable to help himself…where he could now see her blue silk nightgown gently hanging over the top of the makeshift changing screen.

Jack let out a very deep breath and made his eye sockets turn straight toward the exit and his feet head in that direction as well. "So, I-I'm just going to go now. Thank you for letting me be a little more generous with you about your furnishings, and, erm… I'll see you downstairs! Bye, Sally!" And with that the Pumpkin King dashed down the trap door steps.

Sally just giggled as she heard him go, and called out before he closed the trap door behind him, "I'll see you there, dearest Jack."

* * *

Once down the stairs and in the main part of the house, Jack dashed into his bedroom, closed the door behind him, and then slumped down against it to the floor, breathing shallowly. He looked embarrassed at first but then just couldn't help smiling. "Hmm…I'd almost forgotten that I even knew how to desire another being so completely. How did I live for all of these centuries never being in love?" He got himself standing and laughed a little. "Oh, I'm so happy I could sing!"

"_Arf, Arf!"_

Just then Zero flew through jack's window. Jack beamed at the sight of his faithful companion and scratched him behind the ears. "Zero! I'm very glad to see you." He chuckled. "You'll be happy to know that everything's worked out with dearest Sally, and she'll be staying with us forever. We intend on being very happy together, and I hope you're happy too."

Zero's nose glowed brightly and he nodded. _"Arf!"_ He flew in a few circles in the air.

Jack just laughed more, clapping his hands together. "Splendid! Oh, our lives will be so wonderful, Zero, I'm sure of it! Now, I just have to get changed and cleaned up, and then I can see her again." He opened his armoire and got a shirt, a new suit, and a few other essentials in hand and then headed for his changing screen. "Zero, while I change, please go find a little dried flower for my lapel—just something to spruce up my look? Only the best for our Sally!" He was already behind the screen now and had his clothes for the day laid out over the top.

"_Arf!_" Zero nodded and then disappeared through the walls to head outside and find the flower.

And Jack, meanwhile, just hummed the tune to 'This is Halloween' to himself as he finished getting ready and prepared for his and Sally's relationship to finally have its first normal, happy carefree day.

* * *

A little while later, Sally, her hair freshly brushed, her dress looking neat and pressed, and her shoes even polished a little, quietly crept down the steps leading down from her tower room. She was trying to control her smiling, quite afraid it would burst some of the stitches on her face if her crooked lips continued trying to curl upward more and more. And she was also blushing lightly—an effect uncontrollable at this point, for better or worse. But could she really be blamed?

'_I can't believe last night and this morning too with him: how close we got and how nice it was to wake up together. And then what happened afterwards…_' Sally's leaves fluttered. She now knew without a doubt that Jack officially wanted her in every way and to the depths of which she had always wanted him. It was comforting and overwhelming all at once. '_It was so nice to talk to him about it, even if we had to be indirect. But I still can't believe what I did behind my sheet for changing._' Sally bit her lip and turned quite scarlet as she came down finally to the lower floor landing. '_If I hadn't had a slip on underneath my nightgown, I couldn't have done it,_' she admitted to herself shyly.

Of course, now that Sally was about to see Jack again in the kitchen, she was feeling a bit shy. '_I hope I wasn't too bold_.' She was a few paces away from the kitchen entrance when she heard something—Jack's voice speaking softly…and possibly humming? She couldn't help quietly tiptoeing to the kitchen entrance and lingering secretly by the doorway to have a listen.

Jack was just standing near stove in one of his usual pinstripe suites (and with a little dried flower in his lapel, she noticed) preparing the kettle for tea. And as he did so, he looked out of the window and was lightly singing a few lyrics of a song as he hummed a tune Sally found familiar.

"_Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones,  
__A new feeling has found its home,  
__There's someone out there whom my heart knows,  
__A lady to woo who cares for me so…."_

Jack chuckled to himself. "Hmm…Good morning, Lady Sally. Fresh tea and crumpets, my love?" He pretended to address an imaginary Sally before resuming singing once more.

"_And since I am dead I can take off my head  
__To recite Shakespearian quotations.  
__No animal nor man can scream like I can  
__With the fury of my recitations…."_

Jack sighed. "Madame Sally, would you like to go for a walk in the hinterlands? ….Madame Skellington, you're looking particularly ravishing today…" He laughed warmly again, pouring hot water out of the freshly whistling kettle and into two oddly shaped mugs. His singing resumed.

"_But who here would ever have guessed  
__That the Pumpkin King with the skeletal grin  
__Would have a secret delight that he's dying to unfurl…  
__Thanks to true love, he's finally charmed his favorite girl."_

Jack's voice lowered to a doting whisper as he gazed down at the two mugs. "Pumpkin Queen Sally, would you like to plan Halloween forever by my side?" In the steam rising from the mugs, Jack drew a heart with his bony fingertip that held in the air for a moment and then curled back into the rising steam.

Sally watched, mesmerized both by his voice and the lyrics (his little asides complete with titles for her were quite enchanting as well).

Suddenly, Jack glided across the kitchen to grab the tray for the tea, and couldn't help singing one final verse as he did so.

"_There was an empty place in my bones,  
__That called out for something now quite known.  
__Somehow with help I did this right…  
__And I'll never be alone, not for one single night…"_

He finished the last word in one of his deepest, most sonorous tones.

…A tone that couldn't help but make Sally sigh just a little in love and admiration and attraction.

As he finished setting down the mugs on the tray, Jack's ears instantly picked up the sigh and he gasped a little, his eye sockets wide. He turned, and his gaze quickly found the red top of Sally's yarn-covered head as she gasped now too and pulled back just a little from her position peeking around the doorway.

Sally frowned to herself, blushing lightly. _'He knows I was listening anyway. I don't want to act like I'm trying to keep it from him. That would seem so silly and unfair_.' Sally swallowed and shuffled forward now into sight and into the kitchen as she pushed some hair behind her ear. "Good morning, Jack," she said softly, smiling a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

Jack just blinked a few times and then blanched and put his arms behind his back. "Y-You didn't. I, um…I was just finishing up making the tea anyway. I thought it would be a nice way to start the morning before we decided what to eat." He tried to smile a little but then just sighed and swallowed.

Sally came forward now with a warm smile. "I think tea sounds lovely." She went behind him and gestured to the tea tray. "But first, why don't we get some curdled cream and black sugar and sour lemons to put on the tray too, okay?"

Jack just nodded.

The two of them proceeded at their task, working slowly.

"Jack?" Sally said softly after a moment. "I'm sorry I listened in on you singing and talking to yourself just now. I just think it's beautiful when you sing, and I was so happy to hear you sounding so happy." She blushed a little more and added, "And I wouldn't mind being called Lady Sally…or even Queen Sally. Madame Skellington was my favorite though. I'd love that." She smiled more to herself.

Jack smiled just a little too as he finished filling the creamer. "It's okay, Sally. And I didn't mean to seem so embarrassed. I'm just shy with you sometimes, I can't help it. Yes…I am happier now. Much happier." He smiled a little more. "I didn't realize my singing was so grand to you."

"I've always found it very spine tingling…" She set the lemons and sugar on the tray and moved closer to him. "I have a song I could sing too, you know." She swallowed. "I was just always shy about singing in front of other people. I never understood how you could be so brave during Halloween and sing in front of everyone."

Jack smiled more. "I never heard you sing a whole song before. Until we sang together on Christmas Eve, I never even knew you could sing at all. The Doctor never mentioned it, and neither did you. I just assumed you didn't know how, and that's why I never offered you a singing part in the parade. I didn't want to put pressure on you."

Sally smiled more as well. "You're very sweet, Jack. But I can sing, even if it's not as good as you." Her blush deepened and she looked down at the tea tray. Then she cleared her throat and began.

"_I once sensed something in the wind  
__That felt like tragedy at hand.  
__And though I wanted to be with him,  
__Couldn't shake this feeling that I had._

_"The worst seemed just around the bend.  
__And he didn't notice my feelings for him…  
__He couldn't see how much he meant to me.  
__I wondered if we weren't to be…"_

Then Sally gave a very deep sigh and looked into Jack's eye sockets. She sang on.

"_But now and forever, we'll be together…  
__Yes, it must be, now and eternally.  
__Together, Jack and Sally…"_

Jack just looked at her with such love. He sighed softly as she finished. "Why would a siren keep her call a secret? Why would a melodious banshee never open her blood red lips?"

Sally blinked and smiled more, then just looked down. "I'm shy too." She shrugged.

Jack raised an eyebrow and then just laughed warmly and hugged her from the side. "Oh you're a delight is what you are, Sally! Oh Sally…" He pulled back. "I'm sorry for acting so awkward. I don't mind that you heard me singing. In fact I'm just glad to know now that my singing has such an effect on you." He moved closer, something in his eye sockets brightening as they narrowed romantically. "I can serenade you any time you wish, you know. You and only you… I might reuse a few familiar tunes, but I could come up with new things to say about you in song whenever you wanted easily enough." He winked at her.

Sally giggled. "I, um…" she wrung her hands together a little bit in front of herself, "I…I used to daydream you would serenade me when I was up in my tower at the Doctor's," she admitted softly.

Jack's bony grin only grew. "Ah, well…one more reason for me to make a habit of it here." He took her hand, moving closer. "We could even dance together while I sang. I did promise to dance with you one day—a waltz, I think, would be nice." He put his other arm around her waist and then dipped her back a little.

Sally looked up at him, her eyes wide and smile bright. "H-Here? Now?"

Jack laughed and straightened them both up. "It can wait until later if you'd like. For now though, let's stick with tea and a toast to the start of a beautiful morning together." He picked up a mug for himself handed her the second one. "To True love."

"To True Love." Sally took the mug and toasted with Jack, and then the two of them took sips of the hot liquid.

Jack leaned back against the counter, looking out of the kitchen window and smiling.

"We should probably make something to eat that's quick, Jack," Sally advised, pouring some curdled cream into her cup and sipping her tea again. "You're right, it's getting late and we really should go see everybody soon to let them know we're okay and to thank them for their sweet letter."

Jack nodded as he finished a sip of tea. "Hmm…yes, that's an excellent point." He considered, still gazing toward the window, and then glanced at Sally. "Sally, would you like to go out to eat?" He raised part of his brow.

Sally blinked and lowered her mug. "Out? Like a picnic?" She tilted her head to the side.

Jack just smiled and shook his skull. "No, I meant…out, like to a café or a restaurant. The Corpse Wife serves light meals at her Inn, the Demon's got a whole eatery of light fair to choose from, then there's dining at the Wolfman's bistro. We could go into town to eat, publically, together. What do you think?"

Sally blinked. "I never thought about that, Jack." Most of her daydreams had only involved cozy, romantic dinners for two. "Yes." She smiled more as the idea sunk in. "Yes, let's go out to eat. I've never eaten out before. Someone to prepare everything and set everything up and clean everything afterwards…" She sighed. "It sounds heavenly."

Jack frowned a little. _'She never got to eat out when she was living with the Doctor, not once…_' But then he smiled again. "Oh, eating out is very nice, yes. And I'm happy to give you your first experience of it." He took her hand. "We could eat out in other holiday worlds sometime soon too if you're ready, or even among the humans. They have some delicacies that are just delightful, and I'm sure the other holiday worlds would have the same."

Sally giggled and nodded. "Maybe we could. I'm just excited to be trying it here and now. Maybe I should fix my hair a certain way or something." She considered, touching a few strands of her yarn. "Do you think I should dressed up to go out to eat?" Her gaze fell to his lapel for a moment. "Like you with your flower." Her eyes came back to his again.

Jack just smiled more and shook his skull. "You don't need to change a thing." He blinked though and then added, "If it would make you feel more comfortable though, I could offer you a little something to wear as a wrap. It's a little chilly out anyway."

Sally nodded. "I'd like that very much, Jack. Thank you."

Jack nodded with a gracious smile. "Come with me, then, my lady." He put down his mug and took her hand and gave a small bow, then straightened up and led her from the kitchen.

Sally set down her mug and followed obligingly.

They came to Jack's coffin-like bedroom door, upon which Jack released her hand to open the door for them both. He entered and quickly went over to a trunk on one side of the room, opening it up and beginning to rummage. "It should be in here somewhere…" he said softly to himself.

Meanwhile, Sally still remained in the doorway, resting against the doorframe and biting her lip slightly.

Jack continued to rummage. "Hmm…it's somewhere in here. So many things have gotten misplaced ever since the Christmas thing…" He smiled to himself and then glanced over his shoulder to Sally. Then he raised part of his brow in surprise.

Sally was still just standing in the doorway.

The Pumpkin King smiled more. "I hoped the direct invitation would be unnecessary but just in case it's not, please come in, Sally. Have a seat on the bed, if you'd like. I'll just be a moment."

With a little crooked smile on her lips and a small nod, Sally pushed some hair back behind her ear and shuffled into the room. "Okay. Thank you, Jack." She let out a breath and glanced around as Jack went back to searching through the trunk, feeling her leaves flutter pleasantly inside. She couldn't even count the number of secret daydreams she'd had over the years about what this room must look like, how Jack might take her in and bring her here to care for her, what it would be like to awaken one morning or even at the stroke of midnight wrapped in the strong arms of Jack Skellington as she reposed with him in his high-arching gothic bed.

Sally looked around with such interest, her daydreams leaving her for the reality of the space. '_It's different than I imagined_.' Indeed, the room was a bit small, the bed was a wrought iron frame with a single comfortable-looking pillow and black blankets and sheets, there was an armoire in one corner, a desk bearing some bottles of cologne and a few clean rags, a mirror above the desk and a dark wood chair just below it, and a single oddly shaped window half-covered by a large dark curtain. And of course there was Jack's tall changing screen in one corner of the room, and then his large trunk against the opposite wall which he was currently bent over.

Sally already felt calm and peaceful in this special space of Jack's.

Of course, that fact didn't stop her from giving into the indulgence of tiptoeing forward and then back to examine all the little details of things she could find as thoroughly as possible. She went to his changing screen and observed the pattern or etched skulls in it closely, then she looked and felt along the wall, finding interest in its textured yet warm surface of black wood. She even noticed the stitching in the blankets on his bed. '_Oh, these are nice but I could make him something much better. I'd love to make him something much better_.' She did her best to hold back a girlish giggle.

Jack, meanwhile, glanced over his shoulder again and opened his mouth, about to remark to Sally about the color of what he was looking for and how he was sure it would suit her well. Instead though he blinked, catching her as she now examined a few little knickknacks on the mantle of his small fireplace. She picked one up but then turned the object and nearly dropped it, seemed panicked about that fact, and then quickly put it back and stepped away with a sheepish pout. Jack smiled a little to himself and turned back to the trunk once more, not wanting to intrude on her explorations. He cleared his throat and spoke as he continued to search. "I suppose most people would imagine the Pumpkin King to sleep in some kind of grand gothic chamber, when he even does sleep, but I prefer this small, simple space. It's quiet and dark, and I feel very cozy here. And I hope you'll make your room suit your needs just as well as I've made my room suit mine."

Sally blushed lightly and moved to the center of the room now, looking up at the ceiling and at the light cobwebs here and there. "I think your room is nicer than anyone could imagine, Jack. I like it very much. I hope mine turns out just as gloomy." Then she stepped around the bedpost and sat down delicately on the surface of the blankets near Jack. She beamed a little more as her eyes fell to him and the trunk. "Do you need any help finding what you're looking for, Jack?"

Jack smiled more to himself but shook his skull, digging a little deeper in his trunk. "It's all right, Sally. It must be at the bottom…and…ah, I feel it. There it is!" He held up the item he had been searching for and turned to her: it was a wide rectangle of tulle fabric, black and sheer but with dark black spider webs stitched into it, a black border, and little black and silver spiders added in for effect. "I keep a lot of decorations and some material swatches here for each Halloween in case anybody wants any new costume designs," he explained. "I particularly like this one. Perhaps if you folded it you could wear it around your shoulders, like a shawl?" He held out the fabric to her.

Sally took the lovely stretch of fabric, and her eyes and smile grew at the sight. "I always wanted to try wearing black." She folded the fabric and wrapped the garment lightly around her shoulders. "I love it, Jack. Thank you." She smiled.

Jack closed the trunk and stood. "You're quite welcome, my darling Sally. And black does indeed suite you, in case you were wondering." Then he rose and sat beside her on the bed. "I just want everything to be special. All for you."

She smiled more. "I feel special, Jack."

"And happy too? And safe? And comfortable?" he added, looking at her hopefully.

Sally raised an eyebrow and nodded, pushing some hair behind her shoulder. "Oh, yes. I'm happy that I'm free, and I always feel safest when I'm with you, and I couldn't imagine a more comfortable life together." Then her crooked little smile picked up on one side as she added, "And of course I also feel very scared sometimes too, but I guess that's to be expected from living with the terrifying Pumpkin King." She giggled.

Jack laughed too, looking down and giving a little humble shrug. "Yes, I suppose that's true. I _am_ the master of fright after all."

They shared a small laugh and smile together.

And then Jack suddenly came forward and hugged Sally very tightly, wrapping his arms around her.

Sally blinked in utter surprise at first. "Jack…?" she prompted softly as second after second passed and he still just continued to hug her, his skull resting on her shoulder.

Jack was quiet for a few moments longer. Then he let out a deep breath, though he continued to hold her. His voice was quiet. "I've been sadder than it's okay for a person to be, Sally. Sad for a very, very, very…a very long time. And lonely. And I ignored you, and then I thought I'd lost you. But I have you now. And I'll need you for forever. I'm so grateful I stopped being foolish about all of this in time not to lose you again."

Sally blinked several times and frowned. She held him in return as best she could considering his firm hold on her. "You tried your best. That's all I ever expected. And you love me. That's all I've ever wanted." She sighed softly. "I'm here for you, Jack, whether you're happy or you're hurt…forever…meant to be. You're my dearest friend in the world."

Jack held her a little more tightly, and then he finally let out a breath and released her. "I'm sorry. I think that was building up for a while. Part of me is terrified of doing something to lose you. You're my dearest friend too after all." He brought his eye sockets to her eyes again.

Sally smiled in tenderness. "You won't lose me. You have my word. We have true love—nothing can ever come between us, not really."

"True love…" Jack smiled a little and nodded. "I know. But thank you for saying that to me anyway. It helps."

Sally just smiled shyly and giggled. "I feel the same way, Jack." Then she swallowed and kissed his cheek, moving things right along. "Now, let's go out to eat. You have to keep up your strength, after all. No more running around and forgetting to eat and sleep. You deserve to take care of yourself, Jack." She winked.

Jack smiled more. "Yes, I suppose that's very true." A playful grin came to his features. "How about first one through the front door gets to pick where we eat once we get into town, hmm?"

Sally's whole countenance lit up. "Oh, yes, let's do that! Ready…" She smiled more, gripping the edge of Jack's bed.

"Set…" Jack leaned forward.

"Go!" yelled Sally, and then she jumped up and dashed over to the bedroom door, giggling to herself as she held her new little shawl in place while she ran.

Jack sprung up after her. "Maybe I'll catch you on the way there, my dearest Sally doll, and scoop you up in my arms—then we can be tied when we go through the front door!" He chuckled warmly as she darted out of the bedroom and he pursued her.

Sally giggled like mad and veered away from him through the living room. "No, no, you can't catch me, Jack! What would people say? We'd be a scandal again! Besides, _I'm_ the one who's supposed to catch _you_!"

Jack just shook his skull as they went on a little dash around the coffee table now and then into the dining room. "Oh, but what man in his mind could resist pursuing the mysterious and brilliant Miss Sally? I adore you!"

There was more laughter as they made a quick pass through the kitchen and then Sally finally bolted for the front door. "Silly skeleton!" she called after him, getting the front door open and smirking at him a little over her shoulder as she raced outside onto the small balcony overlooking the long staircase down to the drive below.

Jack ran outside right after her, and then his arms were around her and he had her caught against the balcony's railing. "There, I've got you, my delightful dolly!" He laughed as the two of them caught their breaths and he continued to hold her. "Oh what fun…" He gazed down at her.

Sally turned in his arms to face him. "I love our fun," she cooed sweetly.

And then suddenly a familiar voice from the ground below called out to them. "Oh good, we don't have to break into an afternoon verse of our song wondering how Jack and Sally are doing! The Pumpkin King and his lady friend are right here! Oh, and look at how much they're enjoying each other's company!"

As the Mayor finished making this announcement, it was followed by the sound of a few dozen hands clapping and several coos of "Aw!" from the citizens who were apparently down below with him.

Jack blinked and gasped a little, straightening up with Sally still held close in his arms. "Oh…dear," he mumbled to himself as he finally looked down to the ground. And indeed right by the staircase leading up to his front door the whole town was gathered, it seemed, along with the Mayor...and they had clearly been waiting for quite a while in anticipation of Jack and Sally's presence on this day.

Sally noticed the crowd too now. Her eyes went wide and she gave a small squeak of surprise and blushed.

Jack carefully separated himself and Sally, and then stepped to the side swallowed as he did his best to smile and address the crowd. "Erm…hello, everyone! So nice to see you today. I hope you weren't waiting or singing for too long. My apologies for the late start this morning."

"Oh Jack, that's perfectly all right!" the Mayor assured, waddling forward. "We knew you'd come out eventually. You always do! Besides, we all wanted to talk to you in person and we didn't want to wait for another town meeting." His frowning face came up. "We hope you accept our apologies, Jack, and you too, Sally. We're sorry for not supporting your decision about your relationship at first, and we're sorry if we caused any trouble between you two."

The whole town nodded.

"Yeah, we're sorry!" chimed in the Wolfman.

"Indeed!" "We just want you to…" "Be happy!" Mr. Hyde (and his little guy under his hat, and the little guy under that one's hat) added.

"We knew you'd be scooped up sooner or later, Jack," Helgamine added, her witch's hat in her hand. "We were just surprised it happened so suddenly, that's all, weren't we, girls?"

Zeldabourne and Undersea Gal nodded solemnly.

"Yeah," Zeldabourne added, "But we didn't mean to try and break you two up or anything. Please say you're going to stay together!"

The whole crowd looked up to Jack and Sally in nervous anticipation.

Jack and Sally blinked at the suggestion and then looked at each other and then looked back at the crowd. Jack cleared his throat and held up a hand. "Everyone, everyone, please! Sally and I aren't breaking up." He smiled. "We may have had some misunderstandings and disagreements, and we may still have some of those in the future. But we'll always care for each other. And besides we…we made up a lot last night anyway…" He blanched a little and looked down, still managing to smile though.

Sally nodded, looking down quite shyly. "Yes, we're…we're not fighting or anything," she managed with some small volume, pulling at her hair. "We're all better now. And we loved your letter. It was the nicest thing I've ever read."

Jack smiled warmly at Sally and then turned back to their friends, this time taking Sally's hand in his own and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze as he addressed the crowd again. "I understand the last few months have been very trying and confusing for everybody, and that the last couple of weeks especially have been a whirlwind. It's understandable that there would be questions about yet another change coming to our happy home. But Sally and I are both just terribly delighted to be able to share our relationship with all of you, and I would like to thank all of you for your kindness, patience, and understanding in these new times upon which we are embarking. I will always be your King, and Halloween will always be the sole production of our fair town. But now the holidays will at least know each other's names and traditions, and I'll have someone by my side to share in guiding all of you. We all have much to share and much to learn, and I believe more than ever that this year's Halloween will be our most horrible yet!"

Cheers and applause erupted from the crowd at this empowering announcement!

Sally just gazed up at Jack with a touch of awe. '_He commands a crowd so well. I hope I can do that someday. Especially if I'm ever going to really be Queen_…' She blushed and smiled more at the thought.

"Horrible, Jack, simply horrible!" the Mayor announced, his happy face returning as he clapped his hands together. "Shall we start at once then on the Halloween plans?"

Jack blinked and then smiled a touch sheepishly. "Oh, well, um…actually, Mayor, first Sally and I could use something to eat. We were going to head into town for that right now. But I'd love to stop the town hall and see you later in the day, Mayor, to discuss plans and to show you some things Sally and I have been working on. And then perhaps tomorrow we could start fresh with the planning."

The Mayor nodded. "Of course, of course, that sounds fine, Jack. And I have some plans that I've been working on as well to share with you. I'm sure we'll be all caught up in no time." He then turned to address the crowd. "Come along then, let's all give the Pumpkin King and his new lady friend a grand escort back to town!"

"Erm…" Jack held up a hand and leaned a little over the rail, smiling politely. "That's all right, Mayor. Um…Sally and I might be a few more minutes. We don't want to impose or inconvenience anyone. Please, everyone, feel free to go on ahead of us. We'll join all of you very shortly."

The Mayor considered and then nodded. "Okay, Jack. Always so modest and considerate." He winked. "And Sally…" he looked to her now, "we'll all look forward to seeing you around town more as well." He gave her a polite bow. "We'll see you both soon!" Then he turned back to the crowd and waddled past them toward Jack's gate. "All right, everyone, let's get going! Jack and Sally will be joining us soon!"

The crowd nodded their assent and then began to disperse.

Jack and Sally just waited patiently on the balcony until everyone was past Jack's gate and well on their way back to town.

Then Jack turned to Sally with a shy smile. "I'm so sorry that was so sudden, Sally. I know you don't like addressing crowds. For what it's worth though I think you did a lovely job. And it felt nice to have you by my side to talk to everyone."

Sally beamed a little though she still blushed in shyness. "Thank you, Jack: coming from you that's a very high compliment. You're the best speaker I've ever seen. And I felt a lot more confident standing beside you."

Jack beamed now himself. "Oh, well, I don't know about the best…but I have had a lot of practice. And I'm very glad I could help your confidence." Then he stepped aside, bent a little low and held out his hand to her. "Shall we away to dine together then, fair Lady Sally?"

Sally giggled and nodded. She took his hand. "Oh yes, Jack. I can't wait." Then she suddenly squeezed his hand and began dashing down the front steps with him in tow.

"Whoa!" Jack almost lost his balance but managed to steady himself and then smiled and chuckled as they dashed along. "I can't wait too."

Jack and Sally reached the ground and then began a leisurely stroll into the heart of Halloween Town to enjoy themselves for the rest of the afternoon as only two happy lovers could.

* * *

Though at first glance it had seemed like the entire town had been gathered outside of Jack and Sally's house just now, in fact two very distinct members were missing.

Those two members were the Doctor and Jewel.

In the Finkelstein manor, Jewel walked through the lower story of the house toward the front door with a basket in one hand and a list in the other. "Doctor…" Silence. She went on. "I'm leaving now."

A faint grumble was heard and then the sound of whirring as the Doctor's electric chair brought him down the spiral ramp leading from the upper story.

Jewel waited as he moved himself to the bottom of the ramp. She swallowed and went on. "You're sure you don't need me? I might not be back from town for a while."

"Mmm…" The Doctor grumbled again. "Do whatever you want to. There's nothing I need from you." And then he started to wheel away.

Jewel frowned. "Fine." And then she finally turned and headed toward the door. She paused though and looked behind her…but the Doctor was still wheeling away. Jewel turned back around, frowning so much, and opened the front door to head outside.

At the sound of the door opening, meanwhile, the Doctor paused for a moment. Then he turned, a hand held up as though he were about to speak…but as he saw Jewel walking away, his hand fell.

The manor door closed, and the Doctor sighed…and now he frowned too.

Finally, he faced forward again and wheeled his chair into the lab.

Igor approached him. "Master, shall I bring you the plans?"

The Doctor let out another low grumble. "No, Igor, not now."

"Oh," Igor took a step back, "Do you have another headache master?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No, not quite, Igor…" And then he wheeled himself down the hall until he came to the doorway to the room where he kept the spare body parts and some of his plans for living creatures and a spare surgery table where he had built his two greatest creations—one of them particularly special, at least to him.

The Doctor spent some time alone gazing into this room but not entering, his eyes closed and his brow furrowed as he considered very deeply.

* * *

**A/N:**

Only one more chapter left and then the epilogue, can you believe it? I'm excited but also sad XD Next time, we see Jack and Sally on their outing through town together, Jack presents Sally with an interesting suggestion for her future role in Halloween, and the Doctor and Jewel finally confront their problems. I hope you all enjoy!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	24. Meant To Be

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay—I was away for a while and then a few things came up. It's been a challenging month, this month is too ^^ But here's the final chapter of the story, and I hope you all enjoy it : ) There will also be posted an epilogue that's a little bit longer than one of the usual chapters, and I'll try to have it up soon. Thank you all so much for reading and for supporting this story, I really appreciate it ^_^

**Dearest Friends**

**Chapter 24:**

**Meant To Be**

* * *

In the heart of Halloween Town on this late afternoon, as the citizens went about their business and the buzz of the day progressed, two distinct figures were seated across from each other at a little table on the sidewalk smiling and talking as several empty plates and cups rested upon the tablecloth between them.

"…And you're sure you can't give me just a little hint about what special surprise you have in store for me?" the Pumpkin King asked his lady friend, hazing his eyes and lowering his tone to something rich and slightly deep as he rested his skull on his hand and grinned. "I know it must involve sewing."

Sally just smiled back as she replied to him. "Yes, it does involve sewing, Jack. But I won't give you one single hint, no matter how charming you are. You'll just have to be surprised." She giggled a little to herself. '_He'll love the new blankets for his bed I'm going to make him, I just know it And they'll go so nice with the robe and the slippers I promised him too.'_

"Ah," Jack chuckled, "so you've caught on to my efforts to flirt with you to get you to tell me what I want to know, have you? Very well then, I give up." He sighed dramatically and put a hand to his forehead. "I'll just be wracked with curiosity and longing until I get my special surprise. I won't sleep, I probably won't eat, I won't even sing—I'll just lie in the gloom wondering what special surprise it is you're planning for me that you needed all of that black cloth from the store for." He smirked and laughed warmly.

Sally smirked a little in return and shook her head. "Oh, you always are so curious, Jack. Don't you ever just want to enjoy the mystery of thing? I love mysteries." Her eyes hazed, and her smile picked up on one side. "They're interesting and exciting. And besides, you'll know the answer in a few weeks."

"Well…" Jack reached across the table to pick up her hand in his, "as long as I have you to keep me company for those weeks, I'm sure I'll be entertained enough to keep my curiosity at bay." He kissed the back of her hand.

"Jack…" Sally blushed and smiled, looking away. She knew people passing by were glancing at them constantly (and had been doing so for the entire time Jack and Sally had been seated here together taking their afternoon repast). Thinking about the other citizens seeing her and Jack's relationship in action made Sally feel exposed and yet also strangely liberated. "I love this, Jack." She looked to him again and squeezed his hand once more. "This has been the most wonderful afternoon I could ever have imagined."

Jack lowered both of their hands and nodded. "I think it was just perfect. Everything's worked out now: Christmas had it's day, everyone's safe, our town is back on track with Halloween, Oogie Boogie is a matter on its way to resting in peace, and I've fallen in love with the most loving creature to ever be dead and we'll be together forever. Not one loose end to tie up." He winked.

Sally, however, hesitated, her mouth quirking to the side as she glanced off pensively.

"Sally?" Jack raised part of his brow and released her hand. "What is it?"

"Oh, I don't know…" She sighed. "Something's been nagging at me…but I think I know what it is now." She looked to him, an eyebrow raised. "The Doctor and Jewel. We sort of left things up in the air with them. And I don't think I saw them gathered outside of your house this morning."

"_Our_ house," Jack couldn't help but correct with a little smile.

Sally blinked and blushed, then smiled more and nodded. "Yes…our house." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I didn't seem them there, and I haven't seen them in town at all while we've been shopping. I'm worried: maybe something happened with them after the town meeting. I know Flora mentioned talking with them before she left in her goodbye letter." Sally sighed. "I just hope everything's all right."

Jack frowned but then did his best to smile and speak encouragingly. "Oh, don't worry, my darling, I'm sure they're both okay. The Doctor and Jewel have been through a lot and probably need their rest. But if you'd like, we could go over to the manor when we're done here and check up on them," he offered.

Sally smiled again and nodded. "Yes, I'd like that very much, Jack." She blushed a little and added with a humble shrug, "But how much longer do you want to keep shopping, Jack? We've already bought so much…or _you've_ already bought it for _me_. And it's more than enough. I really don't need anything extra. We already have a bed on the way for me, and you even ordered a new bigger one for yourself…" Sally tried not to blush too much at the implications (though she had noticed Jack blanching mercilessly while putting in the order for the bed despite the calm demeanor he'd tried to keep up). She took a breath and went on. "And then there's all of that cloth you're having delivered to the house for me, and that little silver spider web necklace you insisted on buying me from the clown's shop when you caught me looking at it." Sally touched the necklace currently strung over her collar. "Then there's the changing screen and new curtains and a new rug that are all going to be sent to the house for me—Jack, it's already so much, I can't possibly accept anything else." She smiled. "I appreciate the generosity, but I've never needed much, Jack. I promise."

Jack smiled more and nodded. "We don't have to buy another thing if you're uncomfortable, Sally. Right now I'd be happy just to sit with you and talk. That's one of my favorite things to do, actually." He blanched just a little. "I didn't mean to go overboard. I know you don't want me showering you with things. I just thought just this once though that it might be okay—there's so much to set up at the house after all, so many changes. I just want you to be able to make your room feel like it's really yours right from the start." He looked into her eyes. "I won't buy you anything more though unless you say it's okay. You have my word."

Sally smiled more. "Thank you, Jack. And, well…" she played with her hair, "I am sort of excited about my new furniture and decorations and all of that cloth. I think I could do very good things with it. Maybe once we get my sewing machine together I'll even be able to put together enough samples to start selling things to people. I'd just need to find a little space here in town to set up shop, and then I could begin."

"You know," Jack stood up from the table and held out a hand to Sally, "we could take a quick walk into the town center before seeing the Doctor. There are a few small rundown little shacks between some of the larger shops there. Their condition wouldn't be great, but the location's ideal. If we find one that you like, I'm sure the Mayor would let us fix it up together for you. What do you think?"

Sally beamed a little and took Jack's hand to stand up. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Jack! And if the Mayor really would be that nice, I'd even sew him a new tie just to show my gratitude—one that won't bite him like that spider he uses." She laughed.

Jack laughed too and nodded. "Oh, I'm sure he'd appreciate that very much." He hooked arms with her and they began to proceed onward toward the town center. "Sally?" His voice lowered a little as they moved among the citizens (who still snuck glances at them here and there). "I'm sorry everyone's staring at us." He smiled sheepishly. "I know you don't like crowds, but I'm afraid any public appearances we make are going to involve us being the center of attention. No one means anything by it," he assured her, "they just tend to notice me all the time, and now that there's two of us, they really won't be able to help themselves."

Sally just smiled softly and nodded and blushed, moving a little closer alongside him. "As long as they don't start singing about us while we're right here, I'll be okay, Jack."

Jack chuckled. "Don't worry, they always wait until I'm not around to sing about me except under special circumstances. I'm sure the same will hold for us as a couple." He nuzzled against her hair gently. "We can go out to eat from time to time and take walks through town, but we can keep a lot of our outings private, if you'd like. I'd actually prefer that myself." He blanched slightly. "I'm a very private person about my feelings, and eventually the staring would make me too nervous to be very intimate with you on our dates."

"I understand." Sally nodded. "But maybe everyone will get used to us soon and they'll give us a bit more privacy when we're in town, then we can come and go as we please. For now though, we can keep things private." She nuzzled him back a little.

Jack sighed softly. "Splendid, my Sally." They came now to the end of the street, which opened into town square. Jack's eyes brightened as he looked around. "Here we are, the center of town. Oh, and it's not too crowded on the streets here—everyone must be tending to their shops after all of the commotion last night with the town meeting and the bugs. Shall we explore some of the available spaces, Sally?" Silence. "Sally?"

Jack glanced at Sally (who still hadn't replied) only to feel her arm leave his and to see her swiftly walking toward the fountain at the center of the square. Jack looked after her with an eyebrow raised but then blinked as his gaze came to the fountain only to see Jewel sitting on the edge of the structure alone…and frowning.

While Jack stayed back for a moment, Sally approached Jewel with a smile. "Jewel! Hello. Jack and I were going to visit you at the Doctor's house in a little while to see you." She sat down next to her friend on the fountain edge.

"Oh, hello, Sally." Jewel sighed deeply. She kept looking down with a frown.

"Jewel…is something wrong?" Sally frowned a little too. "Did the Doctor send you into town to get him something? I can help you pick out his favorite kinds of things if you're not familiar with all of them yet." She smiled again.

Jewel did her best to smile back at her. "Oh, that's nice of you, Sally, but I'm already familiar with his favorite things. He did send me out, but…instead of running errands, I decided to just spend the afternoon taking a walk and thinking…and maybe the evening too." She shrugged. "I don't think the Doctor minds either way."

Sally's eyes went a little wide. "The Doctor doesn't mind either way if you go out for however long?" '_He really does like her better than me. A lot better.'_ Sally shrugged and smiled again. "Well…maybe that's just a sign of how much he trusts you."

Jewel shook her head though. "I don't think so. He hasn't spoken to me much since last night. And I felt sad staying in the house with it so quiet. So I asked him if I could go to town for some things, and he told me he didn't need me and to do what I wanted. Then he went back to his work."

"Did you and the Doctor have a fight, Jewel?" Sally frowned again. "Is it about me running off with Jack? I'm sorry if he's upset about us and treating you differently because of it."

Jewel blushed peachy (the effect of reddish color going against her off white skin) and shook her head. "No, no, it's not that. He's okay with you and Jack, I think. In fact, after we left the town hall last night, he seemed like his only worry was that I might leave him too one day like you did. But I told him I wouldn't, and then he was happy again. It's just…" she sighed, "Sally, how did you tell Jack you were in love with him? Or did he tell you first?"

Sally blinked. '_Oh_…' "Oh, um…oh, well, Jack just sort of realized how I felt, and then I didn't want to hide it from him anymore anyway, and then he realized how he felt, and we just decided to be together." Sally bit her lip, considered her words, then added delicately, "Doctor Finkelstein's very special to you, isn't he, Jewel?"

Jewel nodded. "That nice Flora lady helped fix the Doctor's headaches and helped me too. She said there was imbalance because we were sharing a brain and I got all the logic and the Doctor kept all the emotions. So she gave him back some logic and gave me back some emotions." She swallowed. "And than I realized…I'm in love with him, Sally," Jewel admitted very softly, her eyes lowering again. "I love him so much. He's so smart and creative and secretly kind even if he acts grumpy most of the time. And he's so good looking. And sometimes when he used to have headaches he would let me touch his cranium, and I knew I was responding to it in some big way but I never understood until now. But now he won't let me touch him anymore, and he won't look at me…even though I want both things." She looked up again. "Is that how you feel about Jack? Is it really love? I've been worried that maybe I made a mistake in naming the emotion and that's why the Doctor's angry with me."

"It sounds like love," Sally admitted, blushing a little. "I thought you might love him actually from the way you talked about him when we first met."

Jewel nodded, considering. "Then maybe the mistake I made was telling him. Maybe I should have just let him figure it out on his own like you and Jack."

Sally blinked. "You told him already?"

"I was just trying to be logical," Jewel explained. "It seemed silly to hide the emotion. He didn't take it well though." She frowned. "I guess that means he doesn't love me too." Jewel looked down again. "It hurts, Sally. I'm…more than sad. I'm…um…" She furrowed her brow in thought.

"Upset?" Sally offered. "Frustrated? Or maybe unhappy…?"

Jewel shook her head. "I'm so…angry!" She scowled and dashed at the fountain water with her hand (appearing eerily reminiscent of how the Doctor could look when he was quite angry). "I know it's not fair, I know he can't help if he doesn't love me. But he doesn't have to not even like me anymore! We share a mind, and I care about him. He's so stubborn."

Sally's eyes went a little wide in surprise at the outburst. '_Then again, the Doctor did have a bit of a temper…I guess that was located __all over__ his brain._' "Jewel," she touched her friend's arm, "it's okay to be angry. But I think it'll help you feel better if you talk about things. Talking always makes me feel better, and I think if you can manage to talk to the Doctor, it'll help you both feel better too. Maybe you could tell me about what you said to him exactly. Maybe he misunderstood something?" Sally smiled.

Jewel sighed and looked to her friend again. Her gaze and tone calmed to their normal sweetness. "We were walking back to the house and talking after the town meeting. Then I realized how I felt, and I told him I was in love with him. And then I figured if we were going to love each other, we should do something to show our love, like how you and Jack started living together when you ended up in love. But the Doctor and I couldn't do that since we already live together. So I suggested the next logical step: I asked him to marry me."

Sally gasped and brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes perfectly wide.

Jewel raised an eyebrow. "That was…wrong to ask?"

"Um… well, Jewel, it's not that it was 'wrong'." Sally blushed and cleared her throat. "It's just that it's already a lot for a person to take in when you tell them you have feelings for them. But then to ask to marry someone so quickly…it would be too overwhelming even for the most passionate and impulsive of people. The Doctor would have needed a lot more time to understand your feelings and to explore his own before a question like that should ever have come up."

Jewel tilted her head to the side. "So then…that's why you and Jack aren't having a wedding now that everything's settled: you want more time together first, even though you might like to get married eventually. And the time helps even though you both know what you want?"

Sally blushed and smiled more. "Something like that, yes." Her gaze softened. "Jewel? Can I ask what the Doctor said after you told him how you felt and asked him to marry you?"

Jewel sighed. "Nothing. He just said we should go home. Then, once we got inside, instead of letting me get him his tea he told me he'd take care of everything himself. Then he left me and went to bed. And ever since last night, the most he's talked to me was when he told me he wouldn't need me when I said I was leaving for the afternoon."

"Pardon me, ladies? Erm…I don't want to intrude. I was just wondering if I could be of any assistance at all?" This greeting came from Jack Skellington who now approached Jewel and Sally and gave a small nod of his head with a smile as he came to stand before the fountain.

"Oh, hello King Jack." Jewel managed to smile a little more. "I wish you could, but…I'm afraid I've made a very big mistake. And I think I might have to be the one to fix it."

"Jewel," Sally started as she took one of her hands, "I think you should go back to the manor now. Jack and I can walk you. We were going to stop by anyway." She looked up to Jack. "Do you mind if we go there now, Jack? It's important." She frowned a little as she looked into his eye sockets.

Jack nodded. "Of course, dearest Sally. Jewel," he turned to Jewel, "It would be our honor to escort you home. We owe you a great debt, and after all you're family."

Jewel blinked. "I'm family?"

"Yes." Jack nodded. "To me you are, at least. You're the nearest thing to a relative Sally has."

Sally smiled a little. "Actually, I think of you as sort of my sister, Jewel."

Jewel took a moment to absorb the idea and then smiled. "Hmm…I feel…Sally, it's…it's possible to feel love even when you're not in love. I didn't realize…"

Sally nodded. "Oh, yes, Jewel, you can love anybody you want to even if you only end up being in love with one special person. And I love you very much, and I hope you love me too."

Jewel smiled more and hugged Sally. "Oh I do!" Then she stood up and hugged Jack. "And I love you too, Jack, thank you." She let him go and straightened her dress a little, finally smiling fully again. "Emotions are very fascinating, especially love. I'd like to do some experiments some day. But for now let's go back to the manor, and I'll make everyone tea. Maybe having you two around will make the Doctor more comfortable. At least it'll make him talk more." She started to walk forward in the direction of the Finkelstein manor.

Jack just looked after her with part of his brow raised. As Sally stood up from the fountain now and joined him at his side, Jack glanced at her. "Sally, what did Jewel mean when she was talking about love and being in love? And what's wrong with the Doctor exactly?"

Sally smiled warmly as she hooked her arm with Jack's and the two of them followed after Jewel. "Well…Jewel asked the Doctor to marry her, but I don't think he's ready yet. That's all." She shrugged.

Jack's eye sockets popped open wide. "_Marry?!_ The Doctor?! But…why in the world would she ask that?"

"The same reason anybody would ask anybody else to marry them." Sally blushed a little and smiled more. "She wants them to be dearest friends forever. She's in love with him, Jack. She realized it last night. Flora helped."

Jack let out a small sigh, his eye sockets wide as he looked down into her eyes. "Oh…" He smiled a little, shifting closer to her. "Yes, well…I understand. But still…why marriage so suddenly?"

Sally smiled more. "She just got a little carried away. I told her that proposing is a little too much for anyone to handle so quickly. Even if she does love him that much and even if he loves her too, a little time to get to know each other never hurt. What do you think, my King?" She gazed up at him.

Jack blanched and smiled as he looked down shyly. "I agree. A nice courtship never hurt anybody. Why not savor the moments instead of rushing?" He lowered his voice slightly. "Sally, um…maybe 'my King' could be saved for just when we're in private? It makes me shy…and I love it so much."

Sally giggled and kissed his cheek. "Of course, Jack. We'll save that for in private."

Jack nodded. "Thank you, my splendid Sally." He kissed the top of her head. Then he cleared his throat, bringing his voice back up to a normal level. "Sally, do you really think the Doctor can love Jewel back? Or that he'll admit it even if he does?"

Sally considered. "I think he already does love Jewel back a little. Oh Jack, I watched him put her together. He cared so much." She squeezed his hand. "But you're right, he'll probably have trouble admitting it. But maybe we can help somehow. I owe it to Jewel to try."

"_We_ owe it to her," Jack corrected, squeezing her hand back. "She helped us come together. We never would have made up so quickly if we hadn't had to work together to save her, and she did work so hard to find us when the town thought we were lost."

Sally smiled a little. "Yes, you're right. We both owe her a lot. But that's not the only reason I think we should be a part of making this better." Sally frowned a little, looking forward. "Jack, you were always good friends with the Doctor. Maybe you didn't visit him much, but he was always so happy when you did, and both of you would always smile when you talked. He admires and respects you very much, Jack. And I know he said he's okay with me and you being together now, but it makes me sad thinking that I might have hurt your friendship with him. So maybe somehow by going to see him now, things can get patched up and you two can start being good friends again. I'd really like that."

Jack considered deeply then sighed. "Sally…I…I won't lie, yes, I'm sure our relationship has put a bit of a strain on mine with the Doctor, but that's not anybody's fault. You and I both had a part in challenging him. I would like to be good friends with him again—we've known each other for so long, and he's one of the reasons I have you to be friends with now after all—but it's okay if it takes time." He smiled again.

Sally smiled again too. "Thank you, Jack." She nuzzled his shoulder.

"You're eternally welcome, my darling." Jack nuzzled her back with a smile.

Jewel, meanwhile, was getting rather far ahead of the casually strolling happy couple now. She glanced back. "Jack, Sally, am I walking too quickly? I'm sorry, I'm just excited, but I can slow down a little."

"No, no!" Jack assured, glancing to forward with a grin and a blanch. "We'll catch up, Jewel. I'm sorry, Sally and I got a bit distracted talking, that's all." He picked up his pace.

"Yes!" Sally nodded, moving along with him. "We'll be right there."

Jewel waited patiently and then proceeded forward again when they were just behind her.

"Jack," Sally asked quietly, "can we still go look at the empty stores in the town square one day?"

Jack smiled to her. "We can go every day if your heart desires, delightful dolly." He winked, causing Sally to giggle.

"Thank you, dearest Jack," Sally cooed into his ear.

Jack just smiled dreamily and blanched a little.

And meanwhile, Jewel continued moving forward with her smile still restored and full of hope.

The three walked onward.

* * *

Soon enough, they had reached the familiar house on the outskirts of town: Finkelstein manor.

Jewel gave a knock on the manor door and then opened it slightly and peered in. "Doctor Finkelstein? It's Jewel. I'm home, and I've brought some company." She opened the door fully and gestured for Jack and Sally to enter. "Please come inside, both of you."

Arms still hooked, Jack and Sally nodded and entered. Jack cleared his throat and called out. "Hello, Doctor? It's Jack. And Sally is with me too. We saw Jewel in town and decided to escort her home. And we thought it would be nice to see you as well now that things around here have settled down a little." He smiled (but couldn't help swallowing in a touch of nervousness).

Sally hesitated for a moment, then cleared her throat as well and added, "And I wanted to see you very much too, Doctor."

There was another moment of silence, but then the familiar sound of the Doctor's electric wheelchair met all of their ears. Suddenly, he appeared at the top of the spiral ramp leading down to the main floor. The Doctor just looked at them all in that inscrutable way he had. Then he slowly began to wheel himself downward. He cleared his throat. "I don't usually have so much company. You'll have to excuse me if I'm unprepared, Jack. Jewel, go make us some tea and something to eat. Sally, you know the kitchen well. Why don't you help her?"

Jack frowned and stepped forward. Sally put a hand on his shoulder though and whispered to him very quietly. "Jack, it's all right. He doesn't mean anything by it. He's used to having me here as a servant, not a guest. Besides, maybe he'll open up more if you're alone together. He really does respect you a lot, Jack."

Jack considered her words and then nodded. He smiled and unhooked their arms.

Sally went over to Jewel and ushered her toward the kitchen. "Let's go, Jewel. I can show you some of my secret hiding places for ingredients."

Jewel nodded and moved forward. "Thank you, Sally." The Doctor had reached the main floor now, and she looked to him and frowned slightly as she passed by him. When he didn't stop to greet her, she couldn't help giving a small frustrated sigh and pout before looking away and finally heading with Sally into the kitchen.

The two ladies were gone now.

The Doctor wheeled himself near Jack.

Jack Skellington almost never felt awkward. He was the popular Pumpkin King, after all: he always felt liked and esteemed and like his presence was always more than welcome and more than enjoyable for people.

Thus, unfortunately, he had no preparation for dealing with how awkward he felt now.

There was just silence at first. The Doctor never had been very unnecessarily talkative, and Jack was usually expected to take the lead in most social situations anyway.

And so the Pumpkin King finally just cleared his throat and started very directly with a gentle smile. "We don't mean to impose on you at all, Doctor. I'm sure you've had a very tiring holiday season just like the rest of us. And I know it might still be strange for you seeing Sally and I together. We just wanted to come by and pay our respects." He let out a breath. "We don't want any hard feelings between us. But we'll leave if we're making you uncomfortable at all."

"Actually, I would prefer if you stayed for as long as possible," the Doctor merely replied in a grumble as he started wheeling toward a small table in the center of the main room where he usually took his meals or entertained guests.

Jack blinked at this reply. "Really? Then, you approve of Sally and I—"

"The question of you and Sally is something that I really cannot control, now can I?" the Doctor replied back a little sharply as he turned his chair to face Jack and parked himself at the head of the table. He sighed and shook his head. "I should have known this was what she had in mind. She was always staring at you, trying to get near you…. I thought she just wanted to see if you could help her leave her position here, maybe grant her some kind of sanctuary or give her some means to live on her own. But I should have realized…young girls, falling in love." He glanced away with a frown. "She hated me. But I was only trying to help. Our world's not safe for a foolish girl running around on her own."

Jack frowned a little as he approached the table. "She doesn't hate you, Doctor. She's been mad and upset and frustrated, but she doesn't hate you. She cares, but she needs time to forgive the bad things that happened between both of you. And I think she might like you to forgiver her too for anything she might have done." He smiled a little. "And she'll be fine in our world. She's smart—she can take care of herself perfectly. And I'll care for her, Doctor. And I'll make sure she's happy. I respect her a great deal."

The Doctor let out a deep breath. "I know. And I suppose maybe you're right. She and I will both just need time to accept our new situation."

"Well, I can think of one good way to start." Jack smiled a little more as he took a seat at one of the sides of the table. "I know Sally would like to visit here sometimes, especially to see Jewel. They think of themselves as sisters now. So if you would welcome Sally as a guest, it would mean a great deal to her."

"I would appreciate all the company I could get, and for as long as I could get it." The Doctor looked down with is brow furrowed and then added, "Or Jewel could go live with you too. Or anywhere. She would make an excellent assistant to anyone."

Jack blinked. "Doctor, why would you say that?"

The Doctor sighed. "I find it difficult to be alone with her now. That's all. I'm an old man,

Jack, I'm picky about the company I keep."

Jack was quiet for a moment, considering. Then he started softly, "I don't think Jewel would like to be away from you, Doctor. She's quite taken with you, actually, from what I've heard."

The Doctor's eyes came up, and he glared in Jack's direction a little. "So…you know the situation then."

Jack nodded. "Yes. Jewel told Sally, and Sally and I talked about it. So I know Jewel cares for you very much. And…I've heard you seem quite fond of her as well. Sally says you never cared for her the way you seem to care for Jewel."

The Doctor raised his brow but then shook his head and looked away. "You wouldn't understand, Jack. The situation is quite embarrassing."

"But it doesn't have to be." Jack smiled encouragingly, "Who could fault you a lady friend? Your private affairs are your own business, and you both can take things at your own pace. Sally already spoke with her anyway, and Jewel understands she went a little too quickly. She didn't mean to overwhelm you. She just wanted you to know she cares for you, and that she hopes you care for her too."

The Doctor was quiet, looking down all the more.

Jack looked down a little himself. Then he let out a sigh and spoke once more. "You know, I've been hiding myself and hiding Sally ever since Christmas because I was quite embarrassed by my sudden feelings for her, and I didn't want her to have to share in that embarrassment." Jack noticed the Doctor glance up just a little. He went on. "I felt so awkward. I had no idea how to care for her or what people would say when they found out. I'm not a private citizen, I don't have the luxury of keeping my affairs to myself: I was going to have to make a public announcement about our relationship sooner or later. But I couldn't even explain to _Sally_ how I felt. All I could think was this lovely creature had shown a special interest in me, and there were a million ways I could ruin the happiness I found in her affection, and a million reasons why she might never like me as much as I liked her or why she might stop liking me one day. And because of all that doubt, I was ashamed to even get close to her at all. I was so ashamed and so hesitant and so secretive…she actually almost left me a few days ago."

The Doctor definitely looked up now.

Jack went on. "She still cared about me, but she didn't want to have a relationship with someone who wouldn't be honest with her about his feelings no matter what they were. She hated how I kept pushing her away. She told me she would go out on her own, make her own way entirely without me. And she could. She's strong. I had to apologize to her a great deal and prove my feelings and my determination to be truthful to her several times before she forgave me and would trust me again. My secrecy got so bad that she started keeping secrets too, and I had to forgive her for that as well. We're better now, and happy. But I was so busy being worried that I almost drove her away completely. And I would have regretted losing her for eternity." He looked up and smiled softly. "Love is very nice, Doctor. I don't think I'll ever feel lonely again. And that's all I ever wanted."

The Doctor blinked a few times. Then he let out a breath. "Loneliness is never enjoyable."

Both men nodded.

"I have the tea, Doctor." Jewel entered now from the kitchen with a tray.

"Jewel, please let me help you carry something—I insist," Sally suggested, dashing after her.

Jewel just smiled and shook her head as she reached the table. "No, no, you helped me in the kitchen but you're a guest too, so please sit, Sally, I insist. I'll be right back with the biscuits."

Sally smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Jewel." She sat down on the side of the table next to Jack as Jewel set down the tea tray and then dashed back into the kitchen.

There was silence at first as the party of three found themselves alone now.

Then Sally bit her lip, not sure what to do and just wishing Jack and the Doctor would go back to talking about whatever they had been talking about before she had entered so that she could have some more time to think of what to say to the man who had created her and yet imprisoned her, and who had cared for her and yet had her do his bidding for so many years. She blushed slightly and looked down.

"Sally, please pour me some tea," the Doctor suddenly grumbled softly.

Sally blinked then nodded and poured the tea. She knew from the single word 'please' that something in his mind had shifted about their relationship as creator and creation.

"Sally," the Doctor spoke as she poured, "You may come visit Jewel here, if you'd like. Perhaps on the weekends when we're not busy. She likes your company and…Igor misses you." The Doctor took a breath. "And I would not be unhappy to see you from time to time."

Sally blinked and almost dropped the teapot. "Oh!" She set the teapot back on the tray and nodded. "I would like that, Doctor. Jewel is nice and you seem happier around her. And I miss Igor too." She considered and then added, "And I'd like to talk to you sometime about some things."

The Doctor nodded as he took his teacup. "I would not mind that...sometime."

Sally smiled a little. Then she glanced at Jack who just gave her a small smile and nod. Sally smiled more.

Suddenly, Jewel returned from the kitchen, now with a platter of biscuits. "Here we go, a nice snack for everybody."

"Jack, Sally," the Doctor announced suddenly as he lowered his teacup, "I'm sorry to cut our visit short, but I'm feeling a little tired from the excitement of the last few days. Would you mind if we put off tea until another time? I…wouldn't mind having you both by again soon."

Sally frowned at first but then she looked from him to Jewel, considered, and smiled. "Yes, of course, Doctor. You need your rest." She stood up.

"Oh, well…if you're sure it would be best for you to leave," Jewel added with a slight frown (but also a slight blush). "I hope I can see you again soon though."

"Of course." Jack nodded as he stood up and smiled as well. "We would love that."

"Maybe you and I could have another sewing lesson and then lunch together one day in town, Jewel?" Sally offered. "I just ate out for the first time today, and it was very fun. I'd love the chance to try it again. And with you sitting with me instead of Jack, people wouldn't stare and whisper as much." She glanced down with a little blush.

Jewel smiled and nodded. "Oh, yes, Sally. I'd like that very much. Eating out. Hmm…someone to make the food and clear it up and do all of the dishes for you. That sounds wonderful." She clasped her hands together.

Sally giggled and nodded. "Yes, it does, doesn't it? That's just what I said." She went forward and hugged her 'sister.' "Goodbye for now, Jewel. Have a lovely day."

Jewel hugged her back. "You too, Sally. Thank you."

The girls pulled back, and then Jewel went over to Jack. "And thank you too, Jack. I appreciate both of you escorting me home."

Jack gave a polite bow. "It was our pleasure, Jewel. Doctor?" He approached the Doctor and held out his hand as he usually did during their departures. "Please rest and have a simply horrible day."

At first, the Doctor just gave a gruff nod. "Thank you." But then, after a sigh, he gave Jack's hand a brief shake. "And you as well, Jack my boy."

"Goodbye Doctor. I'll see you soon." Sally moved near him, looking unsure for a moment. Then she reached out her hand.

The Doctor paused but then managed to reach out and shake with her as well. "If you need anything—concerning your repairs—do not hesitate to contact me."

"Thank you." Sally nodded. She separated from him and went back over to Jack. She hooked arms with him once again. "Goodbye." She waved, and then Jack and Sally approached the door and stepped outside.

The door closed behind them, leaving the couple walking forward in a cool winter air of the early evening,

Sally glanced at Jack. "Do you think they'll be okay, Jack?"

Jack nodded. "Yes. You were right, Sally, the Doctor has feelings for Jewel too. He's just been a little shy…a little embarrassed…a little overwhelmed. I told him it was okay to feel that way, that I'd felt like that way…but that I let it cloud my judgment and almost lost you. And I told him that the joy I get from being with you is worth any bit of awkwardness I might have to endure as well. I think he just needs to talk to Jewel now. He knows she didn't mean to go so quickly. And I think he wants her to forgive his silliness as much as I wanted you would forgive mine." Jack smiled softly and looked down the road toward the pumpkin sun growing low in the sky, illuminating their home in the distance.

A great sense of peace came over Jack then as Sally cuddled up entirely against his shoulder while they strolled. "You're a good man, Jack Skellington. And a good king. And I'll love you until the day I die or live or for eternity, whatever's in store for us." She sighed softly and looked forward too at the sunset and their lovely house. "I appreciate what you did for Jewel, Jack. I know you found it hard to even talk to _me_ about your intimate feelings, let alone the Doctor now too. I just hope things work out between them. I have a feeling they would be very good for each other."

Jack smiled more. "Speaking of 'feelings', I have a small present for you back at the house. I ordered it special and had it sent over while you were picking out your cloth this afternoon. I'd like to show it to you and talk to you a little bit about it tonight."

Sally frowned a little. "Jack, I told you, no more presents."

Jack nodded, looking sheepish. "I know, I know, but this isn't a trinket or anything—it's something important and Halloween related. I promise. It's for the parade, actually. And if you don't like it or it doesn't work out, I'll send it right back, all right?" He squeezed her hand a little.

Sally considered and nodded. "Well…all right, Jack. As long as it's something that's important for Halloween too and not just for me."

"You have my word it is." Jack smiled again. "But for now what would you like to do? Go look at empty shops in the town center? Pick up some ingredients for a new recipe for dinner tonight? Or we could go for a stroll out into the hinterlands to watch the sunset?"

Sally smiled but shook her head. "It's been a long day, Jack, and a long night last night. I'd like to just go home together." She looked up at him. "And maybe we could come up with some more Halloween ideas to show the Mayor tomorrow?"

Jack nodded down at her. "That sounds splendid, Sally. And while we're doing that, I'll tell you all about your present and my special idea for you for the parade."

Sally beamed a little to herself, wondering very much what Jack meant and what exactly he had gotten for her.

* * *

Back in the manor, Jewel and the Doctor were sitting together and sipping tea, an uneaten biscuit on each of their plates.

Neither of them had said a word yet.

Bu then finally the Doctor sighed and started with something small. "So…Sally's teaching you how to sew yourself?"

Jewel nodded. "Yes," she replied coolly as she set down her cup. "She says being able to repair oneself is very important. And she's right. I can't expect you to do all of my repairs forever, after all."

The Doctor frowned slightly. "I see…" There was silence again. Then after a particularly awkward amount had passed, he spoke once more. "Jewel…"

"If you want me to go, Doctor, I can go." Jewel kept her tone calm, though she frowned as she spoke. "I don't want to leave the manor, but if it would be for the best then I will. Sally said I could stay with her if I ever needed to."

"I don't want you to go."

Jewel paused at the Doctor's words and finally let her eyes meet his.

There was silence for a moment.

Then the Doctor spoke again. "My precious Jewel…"

A light, peachy blush came into Jewel's features.

The Doctor went on, his voice low, his gaze still meeting hers. "I've been considering things, and I realize that it was a very grave error of mine to leave you deficient in emotions and myself deficient in logic when I decided we should share a brain. But it was the graver error leaving you deficient in emotions. I'm used to having access to both methods of thought, so when that Valentine Queen restored things for me it was just like going back to normal without a problem. But when she restored emotions to you…it must have been very overwhelming not knowing what they were like and then suddenly having so many possible ones to contend with."

Jewel considered, then nodded. "Yes, it was overwhelming, though I've become very comfortable now. But even with the Flora's help, I'm still a very logical person, Doctor. And because of that I don't see much point in hiding emotions. I'm starting to understand why some people do hide them, but for me…if I feel something, I'd like to express that feeling. Secrets waste time."

"A very logical conclusion." The Doctor nodded. "But…you have to understand that sometimes such an attitude, even when put in place regarding another very logical person, can cause some discomfort."

Jewel frowned a little and her gaze lowered. "I understand it was too much to ask you to marry me, Doctor." She glanced back up at him. "But I am very in love with you. When you call me precious, it…it's the closest thing I knew to happiness before I knew what happiness was. And now it's the greatest happiness I can imagine."

Doctor Finkelstein looked down now. "I…"

"Master, I have the plans you wanted…." Igor lisped as he suddenly entered the room with a few dusty scrolls in hand. He blinked. "Mistress Jewel!" He dropped the scrolls and ran toward her, smiling. "You came back! When you left, Igor was sad. When Sally used to leave, she would stay away for days. Igor is happy you're back so soon though." He hugged at the hem of her dress.

The Doctor scowled as was about to say something harsh to Igor but stopped as he observed him with Jewel closely.

Jewel smiled and patted Igor's head. "Yes, I'm back, Igor. Don't worry, I won't leave. I know you need me and that you like me. And Sally will visit sometimes too now. I know you'd like to see her again."

Igor nodded. "Yes, Igor would like to see Sally very much. Is Sally okay now?"

Jewel nodded. "Yes, Sally is doing very well. She's very happy. She went to go live with nice King Jack."

Igor smiled. "Good. Sally likes Jack." He nodded to his mistress and then limped back over to fetch up the plans he had dropped. "Master? Where do you want Igor to bring the plans?"

Doctor Finkelstein blinked a few times and cleared his throat. "Erm…the lab, Igor. And please leave Jewel and I alone for a while."

Igor nodded. "As you wish, Master." Then he limped away.

There was quiet for a moment.

Then the Doctor sighed and looked to Jewel once more. "Igor isn't the only one who needs you, Jewel…or who likes you very much." He moved his chair out and wheeled it closer to her.

Jewel sat very still, blushing peachy as he came up right alongside her. "Doctor…"

"You have to understand," the Doctor glanced away, "I'm an old man set in my ways. I need time to adjust to new things and feelings."

Jewel frowned a little. "I was very angry when you wouldn't speak to me."

"And I was very frustrated when you said you started bringing up affections and matrimony to me without warning," the Doctor replied with some of his gruffness.

Jewel sighed. "All I want is to go back to you talking to me kindly and calling me your precious and smiling when I'm with you and letting me massage your cranium or your half of our brain whenever you're tired. But you have to know at the same time that I love you very much. You're smart and skillful and good and brilliant. You're the best man in the world to me."

The Doctor swallowed. "And you're very capable and talented and kind…and pretty. And a very competent woman." He quickly cleared his throat and wheeled a few feet back. "Erm, my precious Jewel? My head hurts a little. Perhaps we could go upstairs and perhaps you could massage my half of our brain and I could sew you if you need it, and we could talk…. And we could do that from time to time, a day here and a day there, and see where that goes…as a scientific sort of experiment?"

Jewel, blushing peachy again, smiled and stood up. "I think that's logical, Doctor. Let's go then." She got behind his chair and began to wheel it upstairs.

"Jewel?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

The Doctor sighed. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. And…my feelings for you aren't entirely dissimilar to the feelings you have for me. And in time they might grow to be like yours, I believe."

Jewel leaned down and kissed the Doctor on his cranium. "I think your hypothesis is sound. We'll take our time then, my dearest Doctor, and see what happens." She straightened up, beaming a little.

"Oh, erm…thank you, my precious Jewel." The Doctor just nodded and smiled quite a bit too. '_Dearest Doctor…?_' And he tried not to let his anticipation show about how much he wondered what it would feel like for Jewel to touch any part of him, especially his brain, now that he knew how tenderly she felt about him and now that she knew how fond he was of her.

* * *

"Jack…what in the world?" Sally asked, both of her eyebrows arched high.

Jack and Sally were at home sitting upon the living room sofa together, and Jack had just presented Sally with her packaged special present, which she had just opened with great interest.

Nestled in the box, Sally found a perfectly round and quite large glassy orb made of strange crystal.

Jack smiled at her and explained; he explained about how hearing about her vision of the flower turning into a tree and burning on Christmas Eve had interested him, he explained how he noticed that the 'feelings' she talked about getting about certain things really did seem to be accurate, he explained how intuitive he found her beyond anyone he had ever known.

Sally blushed, of course, during his speech of praise and compliments, and smiled as he finished. "But, Jack, what does any of that have to do with this?" She gestured to the glass ball in its box. "Or with Halloween?" she added, remembering his promise earlier that this gift was important for the upcoming holiday.

Jack smiled more and moved closer to her on the sofa. "Well, you wanted a bigger role to play in the parade, and I did promise Oogie's old slot in the song to you, and you are very good at predicting things and being intuitive…so I thought you might like to be our town fortune teller, Sally." His eye socket practically sparkled.

Sally blushed and blinked. "Fortune teller?" She considered. "Jack, I don't know if…I mean, I only get feelings _sometimes_, and that vision was the first one ever. I don't know if I could tell fortunes…" She hesitated, then added, "…And if I could, do you really think that would be scary?"

"I think you might need some practice and a chance to hone your skills," Jack observed, "but I do think you would make a powerful fortune teller. So that's a genuine crystal ball." He gestured to it. "I thought you could practice with it if you wanted. And if it doesn't work out or you don't want to be a fortuneteller, it's not a problem at all, and we'll just find some other thing for you to do in the parade. But I do hope you'll at least consider the suggestion, Sally. And Sally," he smiled more, "of course fortune tellers are scary—they know the mysterious future, the frightful things that may or may not befall us. Wasn't your Christmas vision rather scary?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. Very." She considered more and then looked down at the dull crystal ball in the box again. "I…I suppose practicing wouldn't hurt. Do you know how exactly I'm supposed to…?" Sally put her hands on the ball and carefully lifted it out of its box, then paused. Suddenly her eyes went wide. "Oh! Jack, it feels warm…and it glows so beautifully. I like the colors." She smiled as she watched the colors shift from slime green to pumpkin orange to deep purple mists.

Jack blinked and looked to the ball with part of his brow raised. "It just looks a bit cloudy to me, Sally. There are colors to you?"

Sally nodded, her gaze still locked on the ball. "Yes. And shapes. I can't make out anything clearly, but I do see them…" She smiled more and then looked up as she put the ball back down into its box. The cloudiness (and colors, from Sally's perspective) all disappeared, leaving the ball clear once more. "Jack, I love it. Maybe I really could be a fortune teller." Her eyes brightened. "Maybe I could even have a shop where I make sewing repairs _and_ tell fortunes if I got good enough."

Jack beamed. "Yes, yes of course you could! Anything's possible. Oh, I'm very happy you like my idea, Sally!" He came forward and wrapped her up in a big hug.

Sally laughed and hugged him back.

Jack pulled back to place the box on the coffee table, his mind already working. "I can get to work rewriting the lyrics of the Halloween song to incorporate your fortune telling anytime you'd like, Sally. Just let me know when. I already have some ideas."

Sally nodded. "It might take me some time to decide, Jack, but thank you." She smiled more to herself. "I'm going to have lyrics of my own in the song…"

Jack nodded as he turned back to face her again. "Yes, you are, just as you always should have had." Then he swallowed and clasped his hands in his lap as he added a touch bashfully, "And, erm…perhaps, if you wouldn't mind…you might do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the awards ceremony after the parade this year? Only if you wanted to of course."

Sally blinked. "But Jack, I thought you didn't like the awards ceremony. You always sneak away from it."

Jack shrugged. "Oh it's not so bad."

Sally raised an eyebrow.

Jack sighed. "All right, yes, I do find it rather boring. But I never had the prospect of a lovely young lady to entertain by going. To be honest, no matter how predictable the awards ceremony is each year, I would love to attend with you even just once." He smiled sheepishly. "It's a town tradition, and I would just love to share it with you. That's all."

Sally smiled more and blushed. "I would love to go with you to the awards ceremony Halloween night, Jack." She blushed a little more and added, "Then after that could we just spend the rest of Halloween night together, you and I?" She played with her hair. "I always thought there was something about you on Halloween that was very attractive. And besides, I think Halloweens are best when they're shared. I'd love to share all of that night with you, my dearest Jack." She looked to his eye sockets.

Jack blanched a little and smiled a lot. He lowered his voice and picked up her hand, feeling a touch of that Halloween passion come over him and in a most frightfully delightful way. He even lowered his voice a little. "After the awards are over, we'll sneak off to Spiral Hill, hide underneath its curl, and neck with wild and youthful abandon in the moonlight and shadow in between telling each other haunting stories and scary things. And we won't rest until the pumpkin sun rises on the next day." He kissed the back of her hand.

Sally trembled. "I can't wait, Jack."

As Jack raised his skull from the back of her hand, their eyes met, and they both realized how close they were.

Sally came forward and gently brought her lips to Jack's, and Jack kissed her in return as he brought an arm around her waist. The two of them lost themselves together, moving back and forth, savoring. Sally pulled back for a moment to take a breath. "Jack, l-let me try…" Then she moved in again and parted her lips slightly. Jack blinked once and then followed her lead.

Sally felt electrified all over as she wound her arms around Jack and brought them closer and closer together.

Jack just did his best to resist the urge to be the one pouncing upon her for a change as he felt her deepen the intimacy of their kiss. '_Oh, what a woman_…' He longed to coo those words to her in the deepest tone of his voice…but decided to save doing so until sometime later tonight when the would be alone and in the darkness together.

Jack and Sally separated a few moments later. Their eyes fluttered open, and they took a few breaths and shared light laugh of happiness. Then Jack put an arm around Sally's waist to cuddle in close to her and Sally leaned up against his side a little. The two of them looked out of the living room windows to watch the pumpkin sun setting.

"Sally, we have had a very unusual start to our courtship," Jack observed with a smile.

"Yes." Sally nodded. "But looking back on it, I don't mind the Valentine's stuff and the adventure we had, just like how I don't mind much about everything we had to go through with Christmas. We ended up here because of what we shared, after all."

Jack chuckled but shook his head. "Yes, that's true, Sally, but I wasn't talking about all of the trials we endured. I meant, well…the intensity of our relationship has been unusual." He raised part of his brow. "I never had anybody special in my life until you, and then over the course of one single but eventful Christmas Eve I fell for you completely, and we started living together the next day. But then for so many days after you moved in, I could barely bring myself to speak to you, let alone kiss you again, and I was too shy to even admit to myself that what I felt was 'love' no matter how much I knew it was. Meanwhile, I was coming to you in the night spouting extreme passions. Then suddenly everything ends up revealed and worked out, and we end up finally ready to be truly more than dearest friends…but instead of just the occasional kiss and talking about our feelings to start things out, we're suddenly up all night together sharing intimate secrets and holding each other in the moonlight. And then today of course we woke up sharing a bed…and talked about love leading to marriage." He blanched considerably. "There have been a lot of extremes."

Sally smiled a little. "Yes, you have a point, Jack. We've had a strange time together so far as a new couple." She swallowed. "I don't know if the crystal ball would help show you what I mean, but I have a good feeling this is actually how things are supposed to be for us. We're meant to be, Jack: maybe we can't help being a little intense together. We are meant to be, after all. Maybe it even makes sense for us that after barely any time together we would wonder about getting married…and other things…." She touched his arm lightly. Her voice lowered to a very soft whisper. "You remember, like we talked about this morning in bed after we kissed…" She looked down, her cheeks flushed rosy.

"Yes, this morning, when we were together…" stumbled out of Jack's mouth in a slight tone of fluster. "I-I remember..." He swallowed and tried not to tremble. "I, um…with time and preparation, I'm sure we'll make a lot of progress in…all the ways we can be together." He took a deep breath, and his tone calmed a little. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to seem nervous, Sally. I don't feel bad anymore about wanting such passionate things together. In fact, I'm becoming very fond of our passions. I just…have limited experience." He blanched shyly. "And it makes me more curious than I can say."

A special smile came to Sally's lips. "It's okay." She nestled alongside him just a little more. She whispered again. "I'm curious too. Even from the first day I fell in love with you, I secretly wanted to be close to you in every possible way, dearest Jack…my King."

Jack's skull warmed considerably. "My splendid Sally…" He sighed and then a small, joyful chuckle escaped him. He let out a breath and moved his fingers through a few strands of her hair. "May we still try to go a little slowly though? I'm still getting used to being in love, and I've been around and lonely for a very long time. I need to adjust. And besides, I don't want us to be like Christmas—I don't want us to come together in a frenzy and end with some grand bang just as fast. I want us to savor every little piece of what it is we have together no matter how intense we are. I want to know you in a thousand different ways as my dearest friend and lady lover, and I want to take my time with each of them." He had her arm in his hands now (the arm that had so often become detached and that had guided him so very much in his romance with Sally), and he was kissing slowly, sensually along the limb starting at her wrist. "I want to explore everything and learn together along the way." He smiled a little every time his bony lips found a seam.

Sally smiled dreamily as he finished by kissing the crux of her elbow. "Yes." She nodded. "I like the idea of savoring things. Taking our time sounds horribly lovely when you put it that way, dearest Jack." Her smile quirked upward in a playful way. "So then…no matter how quickly things have moved so far, I guess you'd like me to wait at least a few more days before I bring up the idea of us having children together?" She blushed but smiled more.

Jack stiffened up a little and took in a quick sharp breath.

Sally blushed and opened her mouth, about to apologize and assure him she was just joking (in a way).

But then Jack gave a small smile and laugh. "Yes, well, um…all in due time perhaps."

"Arf! Arf!"

"Whoa!" Jack suddenly blinked and pulled back a little as Zero suddenly flew into the house and descended between him and Sally. The smiling little ghost dog kissed his master and mistress.

"Zero!" Sally giggled. "It's good to see you too."

Jack chuckled and scratched Zero behind the ears. "Yes, it is. I'm sorry we haven't had time to play together much ever since I got carried away with Christmas. Hmm…tell you what, how would you like to have a nice dinner with Sally and I?"

"Arf!" Zero did a tumble in the air, and his nose glowed. Then he flew around Sally once and cuddled up against her.

"Yes, Zero." Sally petted him. "I'm staying, and I'm very happy to be here too."

Jack looked on at the little scene with a soft smile and then cleared his throat. "Sally doll, speaking of dinner, I have a grand idea for the rest of our evening if you're interested."

Sally smiled at him but then blinked and hesitated for a moment. She considered questioning his strange response to her joke just before Zero had arrived…but then she let out a breath and smiled again. '_Maybe him being a little surprised makes sense: Jack was always completely alone before me. Having children must be the strangest thought in the world to him. And if he maybe doesn't want to, well…I'll be sad, but we can talk about it. We have a lot of time._' "What did you have in mind, Jack?" she asked.

Jack's eye sockets hazed, and his smile grew. "Well, since I need to go meet with the Mayor in the morning, I thought you and I could start spending the night together as soon as possible. After dinner, maybe we could change into our nightclothes and retire together early for the rest of the evening. We could just sit up together until it's time for bed, eat snacks, talk, work on Halloween plans and on your sewing machine, tease each other and laugh. I'll even bring out the phonograph, and…" His eye sockets lit up, and he clapped his hands together. "Oh, I know! Why don't we make sort of a sleepover of it? A real one down here in the living room where there's plenty of space to move around—if Zero would be kind enough to take my bed for the night."

The little ghost dog winked.

Jack chuckled. "Thank you, boy." He looked to Sally again, his smile growing. "And perhaps we could use the phonograph to have that dance we've been dying for—a nice waltz, maybe even a tango?" He leaned in closer to her, his eye sockets practically twinkling.

Sally's eyes went wide, and her crooked smile practically split its own stitches. "I…sleepover…Halloween…snacks…tango." She giggled.

Jack grinned more and leaned in so close that their noses touched. His voice dropped an octave. "I'll even serenade you, Sally…you and only you _for eternity_." His voice went to its deepest, most sonorous pitch on the last two words.

Sally took in a deep breath, and her whole face brightened. ""Oh, Jack!" she cooed. "Let's get started on dinner then. Now please!" Suddenly she took his arm, stood up with a giggle, and pulled him along with her to the kitchen.

"Whoa!" Jack had to steady himself at first but then he just laughed at her enthusiasm as he followed along. "All right, Sally. Come along, Zero."

"Arf!" Zero flew after the happy couple.

Jack looked to Sally again and swallowed, then added, "Then, um…maybe sometime soon since we've slept in your room and out here, we could try sleeping together _my_ _room_ like we talked about." He blanched a little as they finally entered the kitchen. "I would have asked you to share it with me tonight, but I'll need _days_ to set things up in there first. I've never had to prepare my room for a lady before, after all." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye socket as they came to stand before the counter. "I'd want to make sure everything was perfect. Fresh blankets and fragrant candles and dead black rose petals everywhere…and, um…the new larger bed I ordered for myself, if it's finished soon." He shrugged, his small grin spreading over the width of his skull.

Sally released his arm and turned to him with a special smile. "Only if you really wanted to, Jack. But I don't need anything special. Your room is lovely just as it is." She blushed a little and turned to the stove to light the burner.

Jack reached up to the cupboard doors to grab some ingredients for their dinner as Zero went off to start gathering silverware and napkins for the table. "But it would be the first night you ever share my bed. The first of many, I hope. I'd want it to be special." He smiled more.

"It will be, Jack, no matter how you decorate." Sally blushed a little rosier and added, "Though the dead black rose petals did sound nice."

"Then dead black rose petals you shall definitely have." Jack chuckled as he set the ingredients out on the counter and took down a few bowls. "Oh, but if you think any of my other suggestions sounded extravagant, you can't even imagine the visual spectacle I'm going to make of this entire town for your first official Halloween parade by my side. I've had centuries of decorating experience, Sally, and no thrill for using it for so long until now." His eye sockets twinkled a little and his bony grin went wide. "I'm going to finally stop moping about and start making this town a dazzlingly display of horror just as it was always meant to be, ruled by the fearsome Pumpkin King Jack and his Macabre Mistress of Stitches Sally."

Sally looked back at him with a smile full of wonder as she took a small cauldron from the cabinet. "Jack, that sounds wonderful and horrible all at once. I've never seen you so passionate before."

The Pumpkin King sighed and nodded as he opened a few spice containers. "Almost losing Christmas helped make me passionate again about Halloween, and now _you've_ made me passionate about you and myself and all of the people I love. I'm utterly bursting with emotions." He looked to her. "I haven't been passionate in so long, Sally. It's felt like forever. I'll never be able to express to you how much it means to me how you've helped me. Everything was so grey until I found you."

"You don't have to thank me, Jack." Sally smiled and looked down a little. "Just…be happy. That's all I've ever wanted."

Jack gazed at her so tenderly. Then he smiled more to himself and went back to measuring and mixing some spices. "And are you passionate and happy too, Sally?"

Sally's little smile picked up on one side as she turned back to the cauldron and the stove. "I've done everything from fight with you to pounce on you with kisses over the last week, and I woke up this morning alongside the one man I've dreamed of waking up with ever since I can remember…my dearest friend. _You_ _tell me_ if I'm happy and passionate, Jack."

Jack couldn't help chuckling, and that sent Sally off into giggling. And then they were just sharing a warm laugh together.

When the funny moment subsided, Jack just sighed as he finished mixing a few things in a bowl. "I love you, Sally."

Sally smiled more as she set lit the burner beneath the cauldron. "And I love you, Jack."

The happy pair stood side by side as they went about preparing dinner, and their free hands alongside each other soon joined in a gentle hold, no words needing to be said, no notice needing to be given as a little ghost dog occasionally darted back and forth overhead.

They were just Jack and Sally making a meal together, surrounded by a gentle silence and warmed inside by an eternal love. And no one needed a crystal ball or expertise in a holiday about love to understand the moment they were sharing.

They were simply dearest friends, meant to be.

* * *

**A/N:**

Well, that's the conclusion ^_^ Thank you all so much again for reading and reviewing, I've appreciated it a lot. Like I said, there's going to be an epilogue chapter coming up too. It's set a few months later, and we'll see Valentine Town a little bit again and also Jack and Sally after they've had some time to really get close (and there'll be something about the Doctor and Jewel's progress too). I hope you all like it!

Take care!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	25. Epilogue: Now and Forever

**A/N:**

Hi all! Thank you for your patience—it took me forever to get this epilogue just right and to work as something I really liked. And I hope you all like it too ^_^ Just a little heads up, Jack and Sally do discuss deepening their intimacy a little here, but it's nothing intense (and absolutely nothing I think deserving anything higher than a T rating). Anyway, YAY, the final conclusion to this fic. Thank you all so much for reading, and please review if you can : )

**Dearest Friends**

**Epilogue:**

**Now and Forever**

* * *

It was a balmy spring day in Valentine Town: the sky was blue azure, the sun was honey-butter yellow, the clouds were pearly white and washed with just a touch of pale pink, and the wind held the fragrance of sweet new flowers. All over town people were strolling and relaxing, taking a rest after another Valentine's Day successfully celebrated a few weeks ago.

As Halloween wasn't due to start for over six months, Jack Skellington and his dear lady friend Sally were taking a little time to relax in this lovely holiday world as well, and to visit their friends Flora and Marigold as well.

Of course, this wasn't the Halloween couple's first time seeing their new Valentine friends since their little post-Christmas adventure together. Indeed, the Valentine Queen had invited every leader from the other holiday worlds to come see the Valentine's Day parade this year, and naturally Jack and Sally had accepted the invitation. It had been a beautiful display with doves flying and heart-shaped floats glittering and all shades of pink and red and purple banners streaming. And Flora had been at the center of things during the annual Valentine's song, dressed in her traditional sparkling pink robes and wielding a mighty silver bow with a quiver of love arrows while Marigold (in full glimmering gold robes) had stood at the head of the parade waving the Valentine Town banner. Everyone had cheered, and then they had all eaten chocolates together afterwards during the big Valentine Card exchange. Jack and Sally had loved the celebration.

Yet, in a way, Jack and Sally were enjoying their current visit to the land of Valentine's Day a little more. It was just so pleasant getting to stroll around the town in its casual state and to be here as humble guests rather than as honored dignitaries. Not to mention Flora and Marigold had more time to spend with them during this weekend-long trip. The Valentine Queen and her head Magistrate had started Jack and Sally's morning yesterday with a light brunch (making sure to include as many chocolate covered bugs as possible) followed by tours of the town and the land with introductions to the main members of the citizenry. Flora and Marigold had also shown them some of the more famous landmarks of the town: the fountain statue of the love goddess Venus in town square, the orchard where heart-shaped apples and strawberries and peaches grew, the love arrow archery shooting range, the forest of cocoa bean trees (from which they made all of their chocolate), and finally of course the town hall where all of their many marriages were performed.

Today, though, for their final day in town, Flora had insisted that Jack and Sally take the afternoon to themselves for a private stroll through Lovers Lane. "I know Jack wants to take you there, Sally," Flora had explained to her rag doll friend with a smile. "Please go. And I'll meet you back at my house later for a farewell dinner with Marigold." (By 'house' she meant her small Parthenon-like palace made of marble that served as her home).

Jack and Sally had agreed with smiles and then departed from her.

Now the Pumpkin King and his lady friend were strolling up Lovers Lane arm in arm as the afternoon wore on.

Sally, dressed in a new patchwork dress she had made for herself (this one a full-length dress in varying shades of black, white, and grey) watched the other couples around them in fascination; she had never seen such open displays of affection. She moved closer to her companion. "They're all so comfortable and happy together, Jack. It must be wonderful to spend your life learning the beauty of showing affection instead of feeling shy and awkward about love." She blushed a little at the sight of some people lying in the grass kissing and added with a small giggle, "It almost seems like it would be fun to be that bold. Is there anything special you wanted to do here, Jack, or should we just stroll?" She glanced up at Jack affectionately.

Jack, wearing his usual pinstripe suite (but with a dark red valentine bowtie on, hand-stitched by Sally of course), felt himself grow warm in his skull. He glanced down shyly. "People usually come here to show deep affection for each other. I wouldn't mind doing that together with you, Sally. I'd quite love it actually. But…I'd like to find a private place for us, perhaps a shady bower away from the Lane."

"Of course, Jack." Sally smiled more and nodded. "We can be as private as you want. Why don't we head down that side path into the gardens up ahead and see if we can find a little place for each other?" She gestured forward.

Jack smiled more and nodded. "That sounds lovely, Sally." He squeezed her hand and moved just a little closer alongside her.

* * *

The happy couple found a quite, removed, shady place soon enough and settled down in the grass. Jack rested back on his arms, and Sally spread out the folds of her dress underneath herself. Bashful smiles soon progressed to little touches, which soon grew to little kisses, which soon grew to deep embraces as the couple shared their love in privacy and happiness.

After a while though, all Jack and Sally wanted to do, like so many other couples they had seen and could see through an opening in the trees ahead of them looking over the main avenue of Lovers Lane, was just lie together and hold each other as they smiled and talked.

"Oh, Jack, I wish we could visit more often," Sally cooed, nuzzling up against him.

Jack nodded as he stroked through her hair. "I know. I'm sorry the amount of vacations we can take away from town are so limited, Sally. Kings who are now also holiday ambassadors don't get a lot of time for pleasure." He smiled sheepishly.

Sally's smile picked up on one side. "It's all right, Jack." She gently traced his jawline. "We make our own time for pleasure in the moments we get alone back in Halloween Town, don't we, my King?"

A shuddery sigh left Jack, and he nodded. "Oh yes, we certainly manage…" He chuckled. "We manage so well that Zero tells me the townspeople come up with a new song almost each week about the wonder of our love affair and how we're always sneaking off together."

"Do they really?" Sally blushed.

Jack smiled at her, his eye sockets hazed. "Shh…" he cooed. "There's no need to be flustered. It's just something they do because they're curious. Besides, if I were them, I couldn't help but sing too if I knew my future Queen might be the haunting and clever and kind Miss Sally." He looked down into her eyes, smiling more.

Sally blushed purple and giggled. "Jack, we might be courting, but there's no way I'm scary enough to actually be the Pumpkin Queen of Halloween one day."

Jack smirked as he sat up a little more. "Sally, we've been over this—you're terrifying in a subtle way…with your bravery and your cleverness and your fearlessness…and of course with your uncanny knack for premonitions. Do I have to sing the new verse of the Halloween song again? Because I will sing the new verse of the song again and gladly."

"Oh Jack…" Sally sat up a little and blushed lightly.

Jack smiled more and cleared is throat, then sang in a sonorous and deep tone to the tune of their Halloween song.

_I am the 'who' when you call 'who's there', _

_I am the wind blowing through your hair. _

_I see the future—the scary things to come: _

_You can't escape me, there's nowhere to run. _

_This is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween…"_

"Well…" Sally's smile picked up a little on one side, "I suppose I am getting better with the crystal ball. I made the Mayor happy by telling him I didn't see anything bad coming to disrupt this Halloween…and I helped Behemoth with the pumpkin patch by telling him when it was going to rain so he could pick the right day to plant pumpkin seeds…and I helped the vampire brothers by telling them when the next solar eclipse would probably be so that they would know the next time they can go out during the day." She smiled more and played with a few strands of her hair. "It's not terribly scary stuff just yet that I'm predicting, but I'm getting more confident in my feelings about things. And I do like the new lyrics to the song you wrote for me."

Jack chuckled warmly. "You're welcome, my delightful dolly." He snuggled against her a little. "You're just brilliant. Everyone's very impressed. And I'm so happy other people have found use for your sewing skills too along with your fortune telling ones." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I just wish you hadn't gone and spent the first money you made at your sewing shop all on me."

Sally smiled. "Getting you a present with what I made at the shop helped me feel good. I like making you presents when I sew, but it was nice to be able to buy you something. Now I understand why you liked getting things for me when we were setting up my room—it feels good, providing for someone you love like that."

Jack smiled and nodded. "Yes, exactly. That feeling of taking care of their needs is soothing. Besides," he rested his hand over hers in the grass, "I do like my new telescope, and I'll especially treasure it forever because it came from you."

Sally giggled. "I just thought that since you spent so much time looking through the Doctor's microscopes when you wanted to investigate Christmas, you might like something that would let you look beyond all the worlds to the stars."

Jack nodded then raised part of his brow. "Speaking of the Doctor, how are he and Jewel doing? You talk to Jewel and visit the manor more often than I ever get to."

Sally blushed a little and smiled more to herself, then lowered her voice to a private whisper. "Jewel told me that on Valentine's Day the Doctor kissed her. A real kiss—not just on the cheek."

Jack's eye sockets went a little wide. "Really?"

"Mmm hmm." Sally nodded. "But please don't tell anyone else: it's a secret. Jewel doesn't want the Doctor to get embarrassed about it." She giggled. "Jewel said after it happened, the Doctor was too shy to say anything to her all day. He just wheeled around and tried to do work, and she did her best to help him, though he seemed very distracted."

Jack chuckled. "Well, I hope things continue to work out for them. We should go over to the manor for dinner again soon. I would love to spend more time with Doctor Finkelstein and Jewel. I think the Doctor's really starting to warm up to the idea of you and I being together. He's not nearly as gruff about things whenever I see him in town, and he actually just seems happiest that you're safe and cared for whenever we've talked ever since the new year."

"Yes." Sally smiled a little more. "And the other women in town seem more okay now about things between you and I too. For a while, every time they saw me they'd just be sniffling and trying to congratulate me like I'd won some sort of prize." Sally frowned a little and looked down. "I tried to be polite, but I wish they wouldn't act like that about it. I don't feel honored that I'm courted by the Pumpkin King, I just feel happy that you and I finally found each other and that we're both good for each other."

Jack gave her an affectionate grin. "So what do the women do now if they've stopped lamenting the loss of their handsome bachelor King?"

Sally's smile returned, and she pulled up her knees a little. "Well, now they just tell me that it's very sweet to see you so happy with me and me so happy with you, which is nice. But they also try to ask me questions about you." She did her best not to giggle.

"Questions?" Jack blinked. "What kind of questions?" He raised part of his brow.

Sally shrugged, playing with a few dandelions in the grass. "Well, I don't give them answers, but they ask about how you are in private and what your favorite things are and how romantic you can be. I suppose they've always wondered what you'd be like as a lover, and now I'm their only way of knowing."

Jack looked down and blanched with a sheepish smile. "Oh…Oh dear, I almost wonder if it wouldn't be better if you just told them the truth. I can only imagine all the fantasies and rumors they've come up with about me over the years, let alone lately, like I'm some sort of passionate demon of the night."

"But you _are_ a passionate demon of the night…" Sally whispered near his ear, her voice laced with a touch of its own passion. "In fact, you're always much more romantic as soon as the moon rises and we're home alone together after our busy days. And you're very creative when we're having our sleepovers…and that look in your eye sockets when you see me in a new nightgown is just spine-tingling…and then there's the way you kiss me almost everywhere…" She put her hand on his shoulder and started to lightly kiss his cheeks. "So bold, Jack." She giggled. "Don't worry, I'll never tell another soul. Let them keep guessing. All I do let them know is that I'm very, very happy…and that I look forward to going home and seeing you each night very, very much."

"Sally…" left Jack in a rather deep-toned whispered as he smiled and rested back more on the grass, his eye sockets closed now while she continued to kiss his face, "I can't help myself. I had to endure so many centuries pretending love and kisses and warmth and a companion didn't matter to me in the least…. It's hard not to get carried away now that I have all of that and more. And you're right—the night does something to me, it always has. I'm always at my best at night. Halloween night most of all." Something playful came to his gaze as he opened his eye sockets. "Only a few more months, and then I can take all of that energy I used to put into being melancholy and instead put it into having fun with you." He winked.

"I can't wait." Sally giggled. "But I'm starting to think it's not just Halloween but all holidays in general that make you passionate, Jack. After all, you were already very bold on our first Valentine's night." Sally's gaze grew warm and her kisses tapered off as she remembered that evening of cuddling and pumpkin wine and Jack cooing between kisses that red was absolutely her best color (she had sewn a new nightgown for the occasion). Sally came out of her memories and went on. "And I don't want you to be able to help yourself anyway: I want you to express every desire to me. I love knowing them and helping you work through them. And I love when you help me with mine too." She giggled again, her voice going down to a whisper. "Everything's been so fun together, dearest Jack."

Jack swallowed, and he tried not to tremble too much. "Y-Yes…it all truly has been fun…and more than fun. Especially this trip—our first nights away from home together. And our first Valentine's night together was fun too…" He took a breath, a memory flitting through his mind of Sally in red silk and him moving his hands over her curves to try and feel and know the full patterns of her stitches while she giggled and he blanched until finally in their sleepiness they had dozed off in front of the fire, wrapped up in a blanket and each other. His voice became quiet now, and his eye sockets angled down. He traced in the grass with the fingertips of one of his hands. "We keep getting so close, and the time keeps going by so quickly." His skull was starting to burn white, and he bit his bony lip. "We 'share' so much…"

Sally nodded, her eyes hazed. "Yes, we do." But then she blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Jack…what is it?" Sally placed her hand over his still resting in the grass.

Jack shook his skull once. "Nothing, Sally, really…"

"Jack…" she kept going though, "You've been doing this for two weeks now, getting ready to say something and then putting it off. Please tell me what's bothering you." She frowned a little.

Jack let out a breath, still not looking up. "I'm afraid it's too soon to say it. But…I also don't want to wait until it's too late to say it. I'm not sure what you'll think." He looked up at the feeling of Sally's hand squeezing his.

She was smiling warmly at him. "You won't know until you try, dearest Jack. And if it's important and about us, I want you to tell me."

Jack blinked a couple of times. "I-I know, it's just that, you're a…and I'm a…And maybe I'm just a little caught up in the atmosphere of this place, maybe I should just wait until we get back home or until the last of the holidays finish for the summer or…"

"_Jack_…" Sally's eyes were a little hazed, one of her eyebrows was slightly arched, and a small smile sat on her lips.

Jack knew that look by now—it was the look she always gave him whenever he was being too dramatic and she was determined to calm him down again.

"Please tell me what's been worrying you," she went on, never letting her gaze leave his.

Jack took a deep breath. And then he told her. "We might want to make love one day soon, Sally. And I think we should talk about it."

Sally's eyes went perfectly wide and her features blushed all purple. Jack hadn't broached the subject so directly before: he hadn't even come close since their first morning together when their kissing had started to go too far and Sally had had to comfort him. '_This place really does make people more romantic_.' She took her hand from his then sat up completely and nodded to him, shifting in her dress. "Oh, um, yes…I-I mean, yes, we should talk." She swallowed and blushed a mix of purple and sapphire. Flashes of a hundred fantasies over the years flitted through her mind as did dozens of memories from their nights spent together as two people courting. How they would kiss sometimes, lying together in front of the fire at midnight, and Sally would wish Jack wouldn't pull back eventually and suggest they should probably get to sleep now. Sally took a deep breath. "I didn't realize it was on your mind, Jack. I hope I haven't been pushing you at all," she added softly, looking down.

"No, no, not at all, not in the least." Jack shook his skull. "And I hope I haven't been pushing you at all either," he added, his skull a burning white that he wished would go away. "I-I guess I just wanted to say, now that we're settling into our life together…it's maybe a possibility we should acknowledge, to grow more comfortable with the idea." That was the strongest way Jack felt comfortable putting the situation. Many evenings though, only his shyness and uncertainty kept him reserved enough not to pursue the subject with more vigor in the privacy of their home. His curious nature had never felt the full force of passionate desire until now in his life as he held Sally close almost every evening and grew warm from their kisses in a way that he had never thought the dead could experience. He cleared his throat and blinked a few times to come out of his thoughts. "I have questions first though…" he went on, "a-and I'm sure you must too. And I don't want us to do anything in a haste." A very solemn, humble look came to his features.

Sally smiled sweetly and moved closer to him. Her voice was a gentle coo. "Then we'll talk, Jack. And we'll take time and make a good, private decision. And it'll be beautiful. I have a good feeling."

Jack smiled a little more. "I'll just be happy as long as I can be close to you." He moved closer as well, nuzzling the top of her yarn covered head with his skull, inhaling the familiar gentle scent of her perfume like autumn leaves and pumpkin pie spice and black roses. "And thank you for encouraging me to tell you, Sally. I've been dying to get that off of my chest."

Sally smiled and nuzzled him back. "You're welcome, Jack." She inhaled his scent of burning wood and foggy mists as she tried not to swoon. "And I'll be happy too, as long as we're together."

Jack let out a content sigh. "Sally?" He sat up a bit more and looked into her eyes as he brought his bony fingertips to her cheek. "I know this isn't the best place, but as long as I've got the courage, could I ask one thing about this subject right now?"

"Yes. You can ask me anything, Jack." Sally's cheeks were a lovely glowing shade of purple as she nodded to him. "There's nothing to be ashamed about, and especially not here."

Jack smiled, his eye sockets hazed. "Would you prefer to be married before we made love?"

Sally blinked. "I…oh…I never thought about it before." She considered. "I guess it doesn't matter to me much either way." She smiled. "We know we love each other, we know we're meant to be…we know we'll probably get married one day just like we'll probably make love one day. And I know you're the only man for me and that I'm the only woman for you so…anytime seems good to me as long as we're both ready." Her smile brightened.

"Thank you, Sally." Jack nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." He lowered his hand from her cheek, and his brow furrowed in a pensive way for a moment as he looked forward.

Sally raised an eyebrow. Then she smiled a little more and asked, "Did you have a preference about being married first, Jack?"

Jack blanched a little, hesitated, then finally nodded. "Sort of. I agree, it doesn't matter as long as we love each other and feel ready, but…I suppose part of me is a little old-fashioned and would like to be married first. But I don't want to rush us into a wedding." He turned to her again. "Perhaps we could at least wait until we're engaged?"

"I understand." Sally nuzzled up closer to him and brushed her cheek near his. "That might be nice. And besides, it's fun just to explore together in the ways we already are: you letting me see and name almost all of your bones and letting me play with pieces of you that you take off…and me letting you help tighten the stitches that come loose in all the different parts of my body…and of course the many ways that we kiss together."

Jack nodded, his skeleton grin growing dreamy as he blanched at the memories. "Yes, all of that is certainly so much…and wondrous." He swallowed. "I wanted to wait on the proposal just a bit for the sake of letting the citizens get used to us and so that I can focus on making sure this year's Halloween goes smoothly since we lost so much time in preparing for it. But…I was thinking of asking you sometime after the holiday. Maybe even before Christmas, if you don't think that's too quickly." He glanced at her. "It's funny—I know logically what your answer will most likely be, but I'm still rather nervous thinking about actually asking you the question."

Sally smiled and nodded. "It's a big question, Jack. It makes sense you'd be nervous. I'm nervous too." She gave his cheek a soft kiss. "And it's not too soon to ask, don't worry."

"Okay then." He took a deep breath, smiling more. "I'm glad we discussed it a little now, Sally. It feels nice having everything sort of settled—a good plan for ourselves. I like when we talk. And all the married and engaged people here seem happy." He smiled at the thought and glanced down through the opening in the trees before them to the couples far off lying in the grass and strolling down the lane.

Sally nodded, looking down there too. "Yes." She sighed softly. "Jack? Can I ask you a question now too, as long as we're talking about things like this?"

Jack nodded. "Of course, my love. What's on your mind?"

Sally played with a few strands of her hair. "Well…neither of us has brought up having a baby together ever, at least not seriously. Would you like to have children one day, Jack?" She blushed a little and added, "Of course, that wouldn't be for a while even if you did, but…I was just wondering, would you?"

Jack just remained still, his eye sockets wide. Then finally he blinked a few times. "It's not that I don't…I…" He sighed deeply as he looked into her eyes, his brow furrowed in uncertainty. "Sally, children never seem to like me very much. I can barely get Lock, Shock and Barrel to respect me, and the human children are just scared of me even if they like being scared sometimes. And they were so terrified of me during my Christmas Eve flight…and in a bad way." He frowned. "Children don't naturally like me. It's all right. It's almost expectable. I'm fear embodied, Sally: children aren't exactly comforted by that fact."

'_Oh…_' Sally moved closer to him and touched his arm. "If you believed children did like you though, would you want to have children one day, Jack?" She blushed. "It's okay if you don't know the answer yet."

Jack smiled a little and turned to look at her. An image recurred to him, one he had had briefly during his first trip to Valentine Town and Lovers Lane and one that was easy to recall as he reposed with Sally now in this shady bower: it was his sudden daydream so long ago of lying in the sun and flowers here with his dearest friend, his hand gently touching a little extra curve in the front of her body while he kissed her and wondered about the wonderful thing their love had made together.

Jack let out a breath and touched Sally's hand on his arm as he spoke. "I never thought about the matter much until now. I don't feel ready to be a father. But if I knew I could be a good one, I…" His voice lowered to a whisper, and something in his eye socket twinkled. "Sally, we could have a baby: how…perfectly splendid that would be. A little of you and a little of me always together. We could create life in our living death."

Sally's eyes hazed completely. She whispered and blushed more. "I want to have a baby with you one day, dearest Jack. I've always wanted to. And I know I would love to, no crystal ball needed. I feel it more strongly than I've ever felt anything else."

Jack blinked a few times, coming out of his dreamy trance. "But Sally, I told you, no matter how I feel about them, children don't like me." He sighed and frowned again. "I don't want to bring a child into our world if all I'll be capable of doing is terrifying it and making it resent me. Our child deserves a better father than that."

"Jack," Sally looked into his eye sockets, "the human children were only terrified at Christmas because you weren't what they were expecting. And they do take comfort from how you scare them at Halloween; it's just a different kind of comfort. Do you know how disappointed they would be if you didn't bring them Halloween each year? And Lock, Shock and Barrel respect you more than you realize. And either way, Jack, there's so much more to you than being scary, and you know it." She smiled again. "Jack, you told me that when you visited here the first few times, you observed the Valentine children because their courtship practices were very basic and innocent, right? Well, when they saw you, were they scared at all? If you came back to them several times, even if they were a bit surprised, they must have gotten used to you enough to talk with you and see that you're such a nice and good-hearted man."

Jack only sighed though. "I never showed myself to the children, Sally. I just watched them from afar sometimes. The adults around here don't get frightened of me because they wear those rose-tinted glasses—how they see people is based on the love in their hearts. But the children don't wear glasses. Flora says it's because they're so young and full of love that they don't need any help focusing on the love in others, but still…what if they saw me as I really am and screamed, and I ruined their sweet time together?" He looked into her eyes. "I'm Jack, the Pumpkin King, master of fright and leader of Halloween. I've accepted that's who I am and that I just have to be the best me I can be. I can't be something I'm not, even if who I am is someone not well-liked by children."

Sally tilted her head to the side but then smiled sweetly. She kissed his lips and pulled back. "Jack…please come with me." She stood up and held out a hand to him.

Jack blinked at first but then took her hand and stood as well. "Of course, Sally, but where are we going?"

Sally turned and started leading them out of their bower. "We are going to see the Valentine children, Jack Skellington, and I am going to show you that children can love you."

"Wait, Sally!" Jack shook his head. "Please, I really do not want to upset the children here. If you want to see them yourself, that's one thing—you're beautiful and comforting by anybody's standards. But I'm so different, and these children are flesh. How well are they going to handle a seven foot tall skeleton in a suit walking into their midst?"

Sally just shook her head though as they made their way through the garden. "Jack, don't be silly. Even I'm a little off-putting for living people: my body's covered in seams, I fall apart and sew myself together all the time, and I'm stuffed with leaves. So you're a skeleton—the children must know by now that there are other holidays, and some might have caught sight of you during the Halloween parade. I'm sure you won't be unexpected. And even if you are, even if they do get frightened at the sight of you, just be yourself and I know they'll love you." She glanced back at him as they reached the road of Lovers Lane again.

Jack just sighed deeply, still wearing a hesitant frown. "Sally, I…" He looked to her, but she met him with that face of complete determination that he knew all too well. He finally nodded. "Okay, Sally. I'll try." He matched pace alongside her as they headed down the lane. "But if the children start to scream and panic, I'm leaving. I won't upset them."

Sally nodded. "Okay, Jack, that's fair. If it really isn't going over well, we can go." She moved closer to him. "But I know you, and I promise you…it'll be good for you."

Jack nodded, looking down in thought. "I hope so, Sally. I sincerely, sincerely do…"

Sally squeezed his hand a little, and Jack squeezed hers in return.

The two went on down the rest of Lover's Lane, Jack leading the way to where the children often played.

* * *

Sally cleared her throat and stepped out of the trees to find herself amongst a group of four children who were playing and practicing the art of courtship in their little recreational garden. She smiled and addressed them in a gentle tone. "Hello there. I'm sorry to bother all of you. I'm a visitor here from Halloween Town, and my name's Sally. It's a pleasure to meet you." She gave a small bow.

The children, each dressed in varying shades of pastel colors with their hair tinted either silver or gold and eyes of varying shades but with a touch of prism shine about them, all stopped in their playing and looked to Sally. They each blinked a few times. But then a little boy dressed in yellow robes came forward. "Queen Cupidity Amora talked to us about the other worlds, and we saw some of the leaders during the Valentine's Day parade." He looked up at Sally with an eyebrow raised and then gave a little bow. "My name's Clover."

Sally smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Clover."

One of the girls, dressed in lavender robes, came forward now as well. "Hello, my name's Tulip. You have lines on your body." She pointed to Sally's seams. "They look almost like stitches—do they hurt?" She frowned a little.

Sally smiled more and shook her head. "No, not at all. But you're right, they are stitches—I'm a rag doll. Where I come from everyone is either dead or something lifeless even though we're aware and can walk and talk and everything. So I got to be a doll."

Tulip smiled. "I never imagined a doll could be so big. I think you're the most beautiful one I've ever seen." She held up her hand but hesitated, looking at Sally's arm.

Sally smiled and held out her arm. "You can touch, it's okay. And thank you for saying I'm beautiful." She blushed.

"You're welcome, and thank you!" Tulip replied brightly, then she gently touched a seam on Sally's arm.

"Can I touch you too, Sally?" Another little girl popped forward, this one dressed in peach robes. "My name's Daisy. It's so nice to meet you."

"Yes, you can." Sally nodded to the girl. "And it's nice to meet you too, Daisy."

Daisy reached out to touch Sally's arm as well.

"Will you tell us all about how people love each other in Halloween Town?" another little boy, this one dressed in green, asked as he came forward. "And my name's Sycamore. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He smiled and bowed.

Sally giggled. "Yes, of course, I can tell you all about how we do things in Halloween Town, including love. But first there's someone else from Halloween Town I'd like you to meet. But he's a little shy because he looks a little different," she added softly.

"Oh, we'd love to meet somebody else too," Daisy assured with a smile as she and Tulip removed their hands from Sally's stitches and looked up at the rag doll again. "When the leaders came to the parade this year we only caught a little glimpse of all of them. We could barely see the Pumpkin King, let alone any other Halloween people. And if your friend is shy, that's fine—all of us are shy sometimes too."

Sally beamed and then glanced over her shoulder back toward the trees. "Jack, please come out now."

There was nothing at first, then a light rustling sounded, and then finally Jack Skellington emerged into the garden clearing of the children. He came forward, trying to smile. '_It'll be all right, Jack. Trust Sally. Her instincts are never wrong_.' He cleared his throat. "Good afternoon, children. My name's Jack Skellington. It's a pleasure to meet you." He gave a little wave.

The eyes of all the children went wide. They were silent.

Jack blinked and frowned a little. "I…" He sighed deeply and looked down. "Yes, I'm a walking skeleton. I know I'm very terrifying. I should probably go now. It was very nice to meet you, but I'm sorry for the intrusion. I didn't mean to upset you."

Sally frowned and turned as he started to back away. "Jack, wait, just give them a moment to—"

Tulip stepped forward. "Please don't go," she said softly.

Jack paused and looked back at the little girl.

Tulip swallowed and continued. "You haven't upset us at all. We're not scared. Well…maybe a little scared. But that's not…we didn't mean to be rude, we just…" She blushed rosy.

Clover cleared his throat. "We weren't expecting to meet a King today, especially not the Pumpkin King of Halloween…"

"We're honored," Sycamore added with a light blush.

Daisy nodded, then quickly gave a small curtsey. "It's a pleasure to be presented to you, King Jack."

"Oh yes!" Tulip curtseyed as well.

Clover and Sycamore bowed.

Jack blinked and held up his hands. "O-Oh, no, no…please don't bow. And the honor is all mine, really. I'm happy to meet you too." He gave a small bow of his own.

Sally addressed the children again (her smile had returned). "Jack has been looking forward to meeting you. You see, because everyone in Halloween Town is dead, we don't have a large population and we barely have any children there. He's been dying to meet other holiday world children for ages." She leaned down and whispered playfully, "He maybe even wants to have some holiday children of his own in the future."

All of the children beamed.

"Congratulations, King Jack. You seem like a nice man to be a father." Daisy smiled and came closer, eyeing him. "I like your suit. I never thought the color black could be any fun at all, but you two look so lovely in it."

Jack blinked, and his skeletal grin picked up on one side. "Oh, er…thank you."

The other children nodded, then started coming closer as well.

"Miss Sally…" Tulip blushed and held her hands behind her back. "You and the Pumpkin King glow with a lot of love around each other, and the Queen told us a little bit about your love. So, would the Pumpkin King's children be your children too?"

Sally blushed and gave a single nod, her smile wide. "Yes."

All four children smiled.

"It would be wonderful to meet your children one day, King Jack," Clover assured the Pumpkin King with a little blush. Then he looked at him and Sally with an eyebrow raised. "Would they be skeletons or rag dolls, or both combined?"

Jack blanched a little. "Oh, well, um…I'm sure probably more like one of us or the other, but they could also take after both of us equally." He swallowed. "I-It would probably be a long time before we had them though." Then he smiled just a little and added, "But I would like to bring our child here one day if you really would like to meet them."

"Are the children in your world all scary, King Jack?" Tulip tilted her head to the side.

"Yes, for the most part." Jack nodded. "We pride ourselves on being scary. There's a corpse child who's very well-mannered. And then there are the three trick-or-treaters…. Erm, they're a little rough around the edges but good deep down."

"What's trick-or-treating?" Sycamore raised an eyebrow.

Jack beamed a little. "Oh, well, trick-or-treating is a very big part of our holiday for the humans: the children all dress in costumes and then visit different people's houses to collect Halloween candies."

The four children looked at each other and smiled brightly.

"We should try trick-or-treating here this Halloween," Clover suggested with a grin. "After all, Queen Cupidity Amora keeps so much chocolate around here, we could probably get a lot of stuff, and I think she would go for it as long as she could come too."

Tulip nodded and turned to Sally. "Sally, do you think that maybe one day before Halloween some of us could visit Halloween town and the trick-or-treaters just to get some pointers on how it's done? And then maybe we could teach them a little bit about our traditions here?"

"Well," Sally considered, "yes, we would love to have you visit. But the trick-or-treaters, they're a little, um…"

"They're more experts at the 'trick' part than the 'treat' part." Jack did his best to put the situation politely. "But we would love to have any of you who wanted visit sometime. Just keep in mind that Halloween Town is very…different. It's very dark and has a lot of bugs and everyone's a bit unusual to look at. But they're very kind and loving deep down."

"Well then that's all that matters—that everyone loves each other and they're kind," Daisy advised, looking up at the Pumpkin King with a smile and a shrug. "Besides, we wouldn't mind a change of pace. And we might not be used to dead people, but we can still share a lot about our holiday and our hobbies—making Valentine cards and writing love poetry and planning parties and growing flowers."

All four of the children nodded.

Jack nodded in return. "Splendid." He smiled sheepishly. "It might be a while though before I feel comfortable sending Lock, Shock and Barrel from our world to visit this one or anyone else's though. 'Trick' with them usually means 'destroy' in some way, and I wouldn't want to put anyone through dealing with them until their manners have improved a little."

Tulip laughed. "Do they like pranks that much, Jack? We really would like to meet them then. We play pranks too sometimes, and they come off quite good, I think."

"Yes, we're successful with many of them." Sycamore nodded.

Jack blinked. "Really, you four prank people?"

The children nodded.

"Yes," Daisy replied. "It might be a little childish, but we are children. We just try to make sure no one gets hurt."

Jack chuckled. "That's very sensible of you. And yes, pranks can be quite fun, I suppose, as long as no one truly does get hurt. You should look very forward to meeting Lock, Shock and Barrel then soon in Halloween Town. And speaking of Halloween Town, " he hooked his arm with Sally's and gave a bow to the children, "Sally and I should probably depart soon. We don't want to keep you children from your activities. Thank you very much for letting us visit with you though. And whenever you want to visit, just let Flor—er, let Queen Cupidity Amora know, and she'll let me know. And for now I hope you'll enjoy your play and courtship practice for the rest of the afternoon."

Rather than wishing him and Sally goodbye in return though, the children looked unsure for a moment. Then they huddled together and started whispering.

Jack straightened up, and he and Sally watched them with eyebrows raised.

The children finally separated. Clover came forward. "King Jack, before you go…if you wouldn't mind…" He looked down, shuffling his foot in the bright grass.

"Yes?" Jack's skeletal grin picked up on one side.

"Would you scare us?" Clover bit his lip and looked up.

Jack blinked. "Come again?"

Daisy came forward now. "The only time we really get scared here is when we ask somebody to let us try courting them and we're not sure if they'll say yes or no. But Queen Cupidity Amora said Halloween Town is full of scares and that one of your mottos is even 'Life's no fun without a good scare.' It was definitely a little scary meeting you and Sally but…we'd love more scares too." She smiled.

"I see." Jack raised part of his brow at the group. "And you all feel this way?"

All four of them nodded.

Jack still hesitated though. "I don't want to upset you. Are you positive you'll be all right if I scare you?"

Tulip smiled. "It would be an honor to be scared by the King himself." She looked to Sally. "And we'd love for you to scare us too, Miss Sally."

Sally blinked and looked down with a small smile. "Oh, well…I'm not nearly as terrifying as Jack, but I could try…as long as Jack wanted to too." She looked to him. "Only if you're comfortable, Jack."

Jack considered a moment longer but then smiled. '_Well, I supposed I would want to give my child little fun scares sometimes…so it might be nice to practice, and also to see if I even could_.' He nodded. "Yes…all right. Just a few little scares might be nice." He bent down to address the children again. "And remember, no matter how scared you might get, nothing I do will ever be to hurt you—it's all in fun." He winked.

The four children nodded eagerly.

Jack straightened up and then whispered into Sally's ear.

Sally nodded with a smile. Then she stepped away and (very deliberately) put both arms behind her back. "You can start, Jack." She did her best not to giggle.

Jack nodded. "Thank you, my darling." He stepped forward amongst the children. Then he bent low. "Rwwagh!" His eye sockets narrowed and his mouth opened wide in a screaming growling sound as he bared his sharp teeth.

"Ahhh!" All of the children screamed and jumped at once, clinging to each other, cheeks flushed a rosy color.

Jack smiled normally again. "How was that?"

The children blinked a few times then smiled and giggled.

"Lovely!"

"Exciting!"

"Very scary!"

"Please do it again!"

Jack chuckled and nodded. "Okay…I…Hmm?" Jack raised part of his brow as he straightened up again and put a hand to his ear. "Wait a minute—what's that sound I hear?"

The children all blinked and tried to listen now too. There was only silence though.

Jack smiled again and shrugged. "Hmm, must have been my imagination. Now then, I'll scare you all again. Ready…set…"

"Boo!" Sally suddenly softly added.

"Ahh! Oh my!"

"Oh!"

"Oh dear!"

"Ahh!"

The children all screamed as Sally's severed arm dove amongst them from behind and suddenly started scuttling about and chasing after them all. The children dashed around, clearly torn between terror and laughter as they both screamed and giggled all at once.

Sally laughed warmly and Jack joined her, the Pumpkin King's eye sockets brightening.

Sally turned to him, her voice soft. "See Jack, I told you children could like you and that they could even like being scared by you. You can be the Master of Fright and a loving, nurturing man all at once. _Mmm! Jack!"_ Sally squeaked in surprise as Jack grabbed her in a tight hug, then picked her up and twirled her around, a big, beaming smile on his skull.

The children's scampers started to slow, and they just all blushed and giggled as they looked at Jack and Sally embracing.

Jack finally put down Sally and released her. "Thank you, my splendid Sally. Thank you!" He chuckled.

Sally blushed and giggled. "You're welcome, dearest Jack…"

Jack laughed more and then bent over to pick up her arm, which had crawled over to them and was now 'watching' the scene with interest. As he picked up the limb from the ground, he stroked it tenderly. "Hello, my old friend. I'll return you to your mistress. I've loved getting to know you better through her over the months." He held out the arm to Sally and bowed slightly. "For my lady who's given me a most splendid afternoon. Shall I do the honors, darling?"

Sally blushed and smiled. "Yes, please, Jack." She took a needle and thread from her hair and handed it to him. "Thank you."

The children all crowded around with interest.

"Oh Sally, your arm was very frightening!" Tulip announced with a smile.

"And your scary face and yell were very frightening too, King Jack!" Clover added.

"Is it hard to get your arm back on now?" Daisy asked, an eyebrow raised as she watched Jack thread the needle. "It's so amazing that your arm can walk even when it's not a part of you."

Sycamore nodded. "I've never seen anything like it! Is that what you do for your scary role in the Halloween celebration, Miss Sally?"

Sally smiled to all of them as Jack set her lower arm against her upper arm. "Thank you, I'm glad we could give you all a little fright. No, Daisy, it isn't hard for me to get my arm back on—I'm a doll, so Jack will just sew it back on. It doesn't hurt at all. And no, not quite, Sycamore…I used to just have the spooky wind blow through my hair while I looked up at the moon, but now along with that I'm our town's official fortune teller." She blushed a little.

"Yes," Jack added with a nod. He had just tied the first knot and was now carefully sewing Sally's arm back together. "Sally gets visions and predicts things—all of the spooky, frightening moments that we can't avoid. And in her spare time she runs a little sewing business in town since she happens to be a master seamstress. She really is quite talented."

Sally blushed and looked down humbly. "Jack…I just do my best."

The children smiled in interest and then whispered together before looking back to the macabre couple.

"Will you scare us for just a little while longer, Miss Sally and King Jack?" Clover asked humbly.

Jack finished tying off the final stitch to reattach Sally's arm and smiled down at the little boy. Then he smiled back at Sally. "What do you say, Sally? Just a little while longer, and then we'll join Flora and Marigold for dinner before heading home?"

Sally nodded. "I'd love that, Jack." She looked back at the children. "Children, how about a game of Halloween Town hide and seek? It's sort of like regular hide and seek, but Jack's the only one who hides and suddenly he'll spring out and scare you when and where you least expect it. He's very stealthy."

The children all nodded.

"Yes, please!"

"We'll close our eyes and go off to the edge of the garden so you can hide!"

The four of them nodded and then dashed off.

Sally smiled and looked at Jack innocently enough.

Jack looked back at her with a little smirk. "Sally…"

Sally sighed, smiling more. "Jack…"

Jack chuckled warmly. "You close your eyes and go off with them too. You know I like finding and scaring you best. You make that adorable little gasp that drives me positively mad." He sighed and glanced to the side, adding in a softer tone, "I'm really having fun, Sally. This has been nice. I really didn't think they would like me this much."

Sally's smile warmed. "I'm glad, Jack." Then laughed softly. "And all right, I'll go off with the children and let you surprise me too." She smiled a little coyly and added in a quieter voice, glancing over her shoulder. "When we get home tonight, can we play our own 'special' hide and seek?" Her eyes were a little hazed. "I like when you surprise me."

Jack chuckled and nodded, blanching slightly. "Yes, yes, of course we can play our own 'special' hide and seek." Then he started ushering her in the direction the children had gone with a grin. "But for now please get going, Sally, we don't want to disappoint the little ones."

Sally giggled. "Okay, Jack, I'll see you soon." She dashed off.

Jack just looked after her with a smile before stealthily proceeding to hide himself in the garden.

Jack and Sally enjoyed a lovely and splendid afternoon of playing with each other and the children before dinnertime and their return home.

* * *

From a private place amongst the trees, a smiling Flora (with a familiar friend by her side) watched Jack and Sally play with the children. "The way those two spread and share love, they'll put me out of business soon." She giggled. "I hope they'll invite me to the wedding. It would be so nice to go to one of those and not to have to officiate the whole thing. I could just be a guest…eat lots of cake. Now that would truly be lovely."

"You're not going to leave these two alone until they show up here with a bunch of little spooky babies in hand, are you?" Marigold tried not to smirk as she wrote something in a clipboard with a quill and gently gave her Queen a little elbow nudge.

Flora just looked up, smiling innocently, and gave a little shrug. "If they want to make an adorably terrifying little family together, who am I to stop them?"

Marigold sighed and shook her head, smiling more. "Let's just pace ourselves about setting up anymore holiday leaders, hmm?"

"Are you sure?" Flora smirked a little, her prism eyes sparkling. "Because, I was thinking, considering the time of year and the fact that our next holiday leader council meeting is in only two weeks, that the Easter Bunny might like some help finding a special somebunny to—"

"Why do you want to create a situation where Easter Land would be suddenly flooded with an influx of royal baby rabbits?" Marigold rubbed the bridge of her nose and shook her head as she tried not to smile. "Do you have any idea of the paperwork that would be involved for me?"

"But they would be so cute!" Flora clapped her hands together, her prism eyes sparkling.

Marigold smirked a little as she finally finished writing on her clipboard and slipped it into her robe. "The other holiday government assistants are going to hear about this gross attempt at an abuse of power at our next meeting."

Flora chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe I should focus my talents on there then instead of on the leaders. For example, I could help you and the Halloween Town Mayor get to know each other better, and then…"

Marigold let out a deep sigh and held up her hands, blushing slightly. "Fine, go crazy with the Easter bunny. But don't forget that I have access to Love Arrows too." She tilted her head down to glance at Flora over her half moon glasses. "So unless you want to suddenly find yourself attracted to the Thanksgiving Turkey…"

Flora sighed and shook her head with a smile. "Point taken…" She raised an eyebrow, her grin growing and her eyes hazing slightly. "Mari, why in the world do you wear those glasses? You know that as second in command you don't need them anymore than I or those children do."

Marigold's smile picked up on one side and she raised her head high. "Oh, of course I need them. They may not help me see love any better than I would on my own…but they do make me look distinguished. And other people, especially from other worlds, need some kind of quick way to recognize which one of us is the responsible one." She laughed as Flora gave her a little nudge.

"Very funny." The Valentine Queen smiled.

Marigold smiled too. "Given any thought yet to finding your own true love?"

Flora's smile softened, and the glow in her prism eyes was like light silver. "It's not time yet. But one day it will be. Though I'm hoping the time for that crisis of emotions won't come until after Jack's Christmas fiasco has faded into an amusing memory. No sense overwhelming all of the holiday worlds so suddenly again." She looked down a little and blushed lightly. "Actually…helping Jack and Sally find love together helped me realize just how possible it is for a leader to find love. I think that's a good thing for me."

Marigold's smile warmed. She put a hand on Flora's shoulder. "Come on, let's go arrange things for Jack and Sally's farewell dinner tonight. And until the two of them are due at your castle, why don't we visit the chocolate spa for a good rest? I think we could both use the time to ourselves after completing another successful Valentine's Day _and_ seeing to the happiness of things in another holiday world on top of it all."

Flora nodded, and the two started to walk forward together. She cleared her throat. "It really is nice to see Jack and Sally progressing their relationship though. I'll have to arrange a trip to Halloween Town as soon as their first child is born. I already can't wait to see the new little love creation full of Jack's childlike wonder and Sally's sweetness and affection."

Marigold nodded. "Their time together will be beautiful."

Flora smiled a little to herself, glancing around at her citizens as she and Marigold turned down the nearest road toward home. "I suppose I complain about it too much, Mari, but I do love being the Heart Queen deep down. I get to see and be a part of more love than most people can imagine, and true love as well…and I can't think of a more lovely way to live when all is said and done."

Marigold's smile grew. "Well, that's one thing we can both agree on at least."

Feeling more satisfied than they had in a while, Flora and Marigold made their way through the beautiful town.

* * *

The farewell dinner was lovely, the goodbyes were long and happy, and eventually, as night fell, Jack and Sally left Valentine Town to return to their own spooky home in Halloween Town.

Jack and Sally had arrived home from their trip long after nightfall, and now the happy couple sat alone together on their sofa in the living room going about a task together while a fire burned in the hearth (and Zero slept soundly in his bed in the corner, and Sally's black cat sat outside on the steps eating a plate of fresh fish heads). Jack was dressed in his usual nightclothes and cap (as well as a robe and slippers, of course sewn by Sally) as he sat turned toward Sally with a needle and thread in his hand. And Sally, meanwhile, was facing away from him and wearing one of her silk nightgowns…sort of. In fact, she had allowed the upper half of the nightgown to slip down her body completely to her waist. She held up a sheet to cover her chest and had her hair hanging forward over one of her shoulders, leaving her bare back exposed to Jack. Jack, meanwhile, gently moved the threaded needle back and forth over her seams to tighten the stitches on this side of her torso.

Sally sighed softly with a smile as she felt Jack begin on a new seam. "This is really so much easier than how I used to have to tighten the stitches back there, Jack. I'd have to take off both of my hands and sit with one mirror behind me and one mirror in front of me and work backwards. Even then I could never get the stitches on my back as tight as I wanted. I'd have to redo it every week or two just to make sure my whole torso would never fall apart if I fell. It's nice only to do it every month or so now."

Jack smiled warmly. "I'm glad to be of service, Sally. Though if you needed me for this more often, I wouldn't complain." He let out a soft sigh. "I like the intimacy."

Sally blushed softly and nodded. "Me too." She closed her eyes. "When you finish and run your hands over the stitches to make sure they're even, it makes me shiver."

"It makes me shiver too…" Jack cooed by her ear with a small chuckle before going back to stitching.

Sally giggled. Then she blushed even more and looked down. "I'd only ever let you see and touch and stitch me like this."

Jack smiled and nodded. "So you've told me before. And you're the only woman I'd ever let see and touch and name off each of my bones…_in Latin._" He chuckled.

Sally giggled. "Fibula…tibia…patella…_femur_…" Her grin grew as one of her hands drifted back to rest upon his knee and leg.

Jack let out a deep sigh, grinning too. "Ooo, you're the most tantalizing woman there ever was!" He started to give several playful kisses to her neck, letting the needle rest in a stitch on her back for a moment.

Sally giggled all the more. "Jack! S-Stop! There are cookies in the oven to go with the tea for tonight—we don't want them to burn."

"Oh, they can wait a few more minutes." Jack just chuckled deeply, still kissing her. "Besides, you always did look cute wrapped up in a sheet." His kisses continued, and now he brought his hands to her hips, tickling them lightly with those skeletal fingers he knew she loved.

Sally giggled even more and couldn't help squirming. "Mm…Jack…!" she burst out with a little gasp, gripping his upper leg to steady herself and barely remembering to hold up her sheet. She smiled a little and turned to catch his gaze over her shoulder, blushing softly, breathing shallowly, letting herself rest more against him.

Jack's hazed eye sockets caught her eyes, his breaths shallow now too. He paused in his kisses and smiled.

The pair just remained gazing at each other for a moment, foreheads nearly pressed together, Jack's hands still on Sally's hips, Sally's shallow breaths making her body rise and fall against the sheet still held up by one hand.

Sally swallowed, smiling a little funny as she blushed and spoke. "Wh-When, um…when exactly did you say you were thinking about proposing to me, Jack?"

Jack blinked and blanched, catching her meaning instantly. "Erm…very soon. Sometime this year. Definitely by Christmas." He smiled more.

Sally glanced down, her own grin growing too. "Okay then. Well, um…just so you know, I'm ready when you are. Very ready. Really." She let her fingers gently sink against his knee and femur more, flushing a little purple as she did so.

Jack caught the meaning of that reply as well of course. He smirked just the tiniest bit and let his voice lower an octave to a tone he knew could make her shiver even when she wasn't half undressed in the open air of their home. "Oh, now, I bet you say that to all the scary skeleton kings who want to propose marriage to you."

Sally's eyes hazed at his tone. "No, just to the ones who are too devilishly handsome and charming and proud and brilliant and shy and sweet for their own good…and the ones I can 'foresee a future' with of course." She winked at him.

Then Jack chuckled and Sally giggled, both of them just warm and happy together as they relaxed a little again.

Jack kissed Sally's cheek and gave her a warm hug, then pulled back a little and inhaled deeply through his nose. "Those cookies do smell like they're close to done. I suppose for their sake we should finish up things here instead of getting lost in passionate kissing and laughing and anything else." He blanched lightly.

Sally smiled more and nodded. "Yes. Besides, I'm hungry from our long afternoon of talking and playing with the children and from our long trip back here after dinner with Flora and Marigold." She removed her hand from his knee to hold up her sheet more and sat up straight again. "Is there much more to do?"

Jack smiled as he picked up the needle again. "No, just one more small seam." He sighed, his gentle sewing commencing once more. "You know, um…" he blanched a little, "another thing I love about doing this is that ever since we got together, I was so curious about the patterns your stitches made over you. Sewing your back has solved quite a bit of the mystery. And if I may say, they do curve and stretch in the most horrifyingly lovely of ways." He proceeded to tie off the thread of the final seam.

"Oh. Thank you," Sally replied with a blush. "I'm glad you think they're pretty. I've always thought they were pretty too, but I was never sure what you would think. I was never even sure if you'd only want to be with another skeleton."

"Never," Jack assured with a shake of his head. "I have enough bones to deal with myself, thank you. And what person couldn't find appeal in a soft dolly always waiting to embrace him?" He pulled the thread taught and then bit it to cut it. "All done, my darling." He ran his hands lightly over the freshly redone seams. "Perfect."

"Hmm…" Sally sighed with a soft moan and trembled a little, doing her best not to giggle. "Thank you, Jack. They feel very firm. You've gotten so good at sewing."

The Pumpkin King removed the thread from the needle. "Well, good at sewing _you_ maybe, though I can't create garments out of almost nothing like you can. But as long as I can help you with your hard-to-get seams and repair you if you need it, that's all that's important to me."

"And I appreciate it, Jack. Very much." Sally smiled at him over her shoulder. Jack was already putting away the needle and thread in a little sewing kit he now insisted on keeping on hand always for her.

"And I've appreciated you taking the time to teach me, Sally." Jack closed up the sewing kit and placed it in the pocket of his robe. Then he reclined back on the sofa, as he usually did at this point after helping Sally in this way, and politely closed his eye sockets. He carried on speaking. "Are you excited to see Easter Town in a few weeks when we visit their parade? I hear it's very colorful there. And strangely that holiday changes days each year. Hmm, can you imagine the state the Mayor would be in if each year we suddenly had a different number of days to prepare for Halloween?"

Sally laughed as she turned forward slightly. "I don't think any of us could get used to not having a set date in mind when we think of Halloween." She released her hold on the sheet over her chest and blushed for a moment but then began pulling up her white cotton slip from around her waist. "But Easter Town will probably be very nice. I just hope their bunny king isn't too frightened of us. He was very nervous when the trick-or-treaters kidnapped him by accident at Christmas."

Jack, eye sockets still closed, nodded as he frowned just a little. "Yes, I know. I tried to apologize, but those children can be so rough. It really must have been upsetting for him when they brought him here so suddenly and then dragged him back home. I'm hoping that between the two of us you and I can make amends. I'm planning to bring a few peace-offering presents too. I hear bunnies like carrots, and since carrots are orange just like pumpkins, I'm hoping to cook a nice pumpkin dish the Easter citizens might like. And then I thought we could bring some Easter-themed jack-o-lanterns too. What do you think?"

Sally, her slip completely on again, nodded as she pulled up her silk nightgown now (this one a deep purple color and hemmed at the knee instead of at the ankle since the weather was starting to get warmer). "I think all of that will be nice, Jack. You're a very good diplomat."

"Better when I'm with you, though." Jack smiled more.

Sally smiled at the compliment as she turned forward completely, letting her legs hang off of the sofa, and then folded and set aside her sheet and grabbed her silk robe from off of the arm of the sofa. "I'm glad to help, Jack." Her robe on, she now she pushed back her hair and straightened her nightgown a little just for good measure. "Also, I'm decent now." She blushed lightly.

Jack opened his eye sockets finally and looked to her with a little grin. "Decent is never the word for it—you are sensational as usual." He eyed the nightgown with interest. "I adore that color. It compliments your skin very well."

"Thank you." Sally played with her hair a little then looked to him with a small smile. "Jack…let's go get the cookies and tea and then go into your room to spend time together before bed." She gently dragged a playful finger down the buttons of his nightshirt. "Spending time together before bed is my favorite part of the day." Not to mention she found Jack's new, larger brass bed so cozy now, just like her own lovely black walnut wooden bed was cozy too, whether being slept in by one or two people (though two was growing more and more common—Jack and Sally took a great deal of comfort from each other during the nights just as much as the days).

Jack nodded, chuckling warmly with a little glint in his eye sockets. "That sounds like a splendid plan. Spending time together before bed is my favorite part of the day too. And my bed is especially fun now that you surprised me by sewing all those lovely spooky new blankets and sheets for it. Come on," and then he stood up and swiftly got his arms underneath her to lift her off of the sofa, "I'll carry you to the kitchen for the tea and cookies."

Sally clenched her arms around his neck. "Jack!" She giggled. "Silly skeleton." She kissed his cheek.

Jack chuckled as he walked them to the kitchen. "Delightful dolly, I have to practice carrying you over the threshold for that wedding we'd like to have. And you can't think that when you're expecting our child I won't insist on carrying you everywhere myself at some point. Besides…" he lowered his voice as they passed by a still slumbering Zero, "we don't want to wake our faithful companion, and I am the stealthiest on my feet." He and Sally gave the sleeping ghost dog lingering smiles before finally passing into the kitchen. They came to the stove, and Jack paused. "Ready to be put down, my love?" He knew she could wobble a little whenever he set her down.

Blushing now, Sally nodded. "Ready, my King."

Jack set her down and held her hands until she was steady.

Sally smiled up at him. "I'll get the tea if you'll get the cookies." She went to the counter to set up the tea tray.

Jack nodded. "Of course." He went to the oven to remove the cookies and set them on a platter.

Soon enough Jack had the tray of cookies in hand and Sally had the tray of tea. The happy couple proceeded on their way to Jack's room.

"Jack…?" Sally asked softly over her shoulder as she paused near his doorway for a moment.

Jack paused as well and turned to smile at her. "Yes, Sally?"

Sally's crooked little smile picked up on one side. "There's something I didn't mention to you about wanting a baby but…now that I know you want one too, I thought I should mention it as long as we're talking about children today."

Jack nodded. "Of course, Sally. What is it?"

Sally blushed a little and looked down. "I was hoping to have more than just one baby…"

Jack blinked. He swallowed but then smiled again. "Well…" he moved closer to her, "I suppose we could talk about it more later, but…now that you mention it, it might be nice for our baby to have another baby of ours. They would always have each other. I think a second baby could work. Stranger things have certainly happened around here." He chuckled.

"I'm glad you feel that way, Jack. "Sally smiled more. She barely looked up at him, biting her lip. "But just out of curiosity…" her smile became small and mysterious, "…how would you feel about…four or five babies?"

Jack's eye sockets went very wide, and the tea tray almost fell from his hands. "Whoa!" He quickly caught it and just stood there now, blanching bleach white. "I…you want to…with me…four or five…_Four or five_?" He blinked and looked at her again with wide eye sockets.

Sally smiled a touch sheepishly. "It's a lot to ask, I know…a big family when you've lived so long all alone. I know even the two of us coming together wasn't easy for you at first. And I'm so glad to hear you'd even like to have one baby with me someday. But…I always dreamed of a big family with you, Jack—children running around and playing together and being fussy and needing hugs, and I could help all of them and love all of them and you could too, and there would always be something new to look forward to from each one of them every single day." She looked to him seriously. "But I understand that might not be what you want, and I know we'll be a happy family no matter exactly how our family turns out to be." She smiled and lowered her voice. "I don't need the crystal ball to see that one—I can feel it more strongly than I've ever felt anything about us ever."

Jack remained pensive for a moment but then he let out a breath and looked to her. A smile began to form on his bony lips. "I wouldn't mind discussing more children as we went along, Sally. It's not something I could say I want now. In fact, the idea of so many little ones to look after terrifies me a bit." He gulped, smiling a little sheepishly. "But maybe after the first one and even the second one, we can talk about things and see where we want to go from there. We have plenty of time."

Sally nodded. "I'd like that, Jack. Very much. I'm glad you're taking this so well. I wasn't sure how to bring it up to you."

Jack sighed with a little grin. "Just promise me one thing, darling?" He leaned closer to her. "If you get a premonition that on the first try you're going to have quintuplets, let me know? I'll need some time for mental preparation. And we'll need some time to come up with names. Pumpkin Princes and Princesses deserve very carefully chosen ones after all, my Queen."

Sally blushed, and her smile almost looked like it would burst the stitches in her face. "Princes and Princesses?"

"Of course." Jack nodded. "Their father will be a King, and their mother is a Queen even if in her modesty she always denies how worthy she is of that title." He smiled more. "Five of them though—oh dear, we'll end up more than tripling the population of nobility around here. I can't even imagine if they all really came at once." He laughed.

Sally laughed too. "Well, you'll be the first to know if I get a premonition about quintuplets, Jack. A-And of course Pumpkin Princess and Princesses deserve nice names." She giggled and kissed his non-existent little nose. "Now come on, the cookies and tea are getting cold, and I feel a little chilly too." She gave him a special smile over her shoulder. "And I think you promised me a game of 'hide and seek' before bed, Jack…" She giggled as she slipped into his room.

A grinning Jack followed after her. "I'm afraid I won't be much use if the cookies or tea get cold, but as for you…there I can certainly provide some warmth. And yes, we did say something about 'hide and seek'…" He chuckled as he entered the room now too and closed the door behind them.

* * *

The hour was rather late now (near midnight, at least), but at the Finkelstein manor a few lights were still on.

At a small table in the lab, the Doctor and Jewel sat across from each other sharing a late night snack of soup while some candles burned on the table between them. Jewel stirred her soup and occasionally sipped it with a smile while the Doctor did an excellent job of sipping his soup from his spoon instead of slurping it or chugging the bowl.

"Doctor?" Jewel said softly. "I think Jack and Sally are coming back from their trip tonight. Maybe we could invite them over this weekend to see your latest experiments and to have dinner?"

The Doctor nodded. "I think that's an excellent idea, Jewel. We would both appreciate the company, and Igor too."

"I'll be sure to cook something nice for them," Jewel added with another sip of soup.

The Doctor looked down a little and nodded. "I'm sure you'll make something delicious. And, erm…maybe I could help you in the kitchen somehow."

Jewel raised an eyebrow and smiled more. "Really?"

"Well…" the Doctor shrugged and stirred his soup, "You help me so much with the lab and by assisting with my experiments. Handing you a few ingredients is the least I could do."

Jewel giggled softly. "All right then, Doctor. I'll be sure to make at least one of my favorite recipes then so that I can share it with you."

"Very good, Jewel." He finished another sip of soup. "I mean, that sounds productive."

Jewel smiled a little more and glanced into his nearly empty bowl. "Are you finished, Doctor? It really is getting late, we should both probably be getting to bed."

The Doctor took one more sip and then lowered his spoon and nodded as he raised his napkin and dabbed his mouth. "Yes, I'm finished. And tired. And you must be too."

Jewel nodded. "A little. But never too much for a late night snack with you." She stood up and gathered the bowls and spoons together, then set them aside in one of the lab sinks.

Then she heard the Doctor's chair wheel closer to her. He stopped.

"Jewel? Leave the dishes until morning. It really is very late."

Jewel smiled a little and nodded. "Maybe you're right, Doctor."

The Doctor sighed.

Jewel smiled more as she turned to him. "Shall we then?"

The Doctor nodded and turned his chair so that the handles at the back were facing Jewel. "Yes, please, my precious Jewel."

Jewel took up the handles and began wheeling the Doctor out of the lab and then upstairs and slowly into the hallway where their rooms were. She paused before his bedroom door and stepped around to the front of his chair. "Goodnight, Doctor." And then she leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Sweet nightmares."

The Doctor let out a very deep sigh, looking down with a pout, and then turned is head and quickly gave her a kiss on the cheek as well. He turned away and cleared his throat. "Goodnight, Precious Jewel. Sweet nightmares to you as well." And then he turned his chair and wheeled it into his room…a small smile upon his face.

Jewel watched him go with a small smile of her own and then turned and headed into her room across the hall.

And once inside, she proceeded to lie down on her bed with a swoon and a smile that would have put Sally's pining over Jack from the past to shame.

Apparently, love could be found blossoming in all sorts of places in Halloween town these days.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the Skellington household, midnight had come and gone.

Jack and Sally had set aside their robes and eaten the cookies and tea with smiles. And now the happy couple had finally commenced their special game of hide and seek.

"…Eight…Nine…Ten!" Sally opened her eyes, her smile beaming in anticipation.

She was currently sitting upon Jack's bed, legs curled underneath herself as she glanced around. Hide and seek for just the two of them was very simple: Sally would sit on the bed with her eyes closed and slowly count to ten, then open her eyes. Jack would have hidden somewhere nearby in the meantime (he was so stealthy, she never even heard a sound between closing and opening her eyes), and then she had to guess where he might be before he popped out and scared her.

Already Sally's leaves were fluttering and she felt almost giddy from suspense. "Jack…are you hiding in the armoire again?" Silence. Of course, the silence didn't necessarily mean he wasn't there—it just meant that she might be right but he might be waiting for her to make another few guesses before jumping out and startling her. "Hmm…are you hiding behind your changing screen again?" Still silence. Sally glanced up to Jack's single window. "Jack Skellington," she cooed a little more loudly toward it, "I hope you're not hiding out on the ledge again. You did surprise me very much that time, but you know how worried it made me thinking of you hanging out there so dangerously." Silence. Sally was trembling, the tension in the air palpable to her. He could be anywhere, watching her, waiting for the right moment to explode from secrecy with a frightful grin and scream-worthy entrance. She giggled. "J-Jack, come out, you know how scared I get even just thinking about you striking. Are you, um…oh, I don't know, are you behind the desk? Tucked in the rafters? Underneath the bed?" She heard a single creak among the silence which all but made her stop drawing breath, and then gripped the hem of her nightgown, glancing around for him. "I'll come find you if I have to."

Sally let out a breath and then moved toward the edge of the bed and placed down a foot.

Behind Sally, the top of Jack's cranium crept up into view over the far edge of the bed (he had been hiding underneath the piece of furniture and trying not to chuckle at all of her interesting guesses about his whereabouts). He grinned to himself and silently rose up behind Sally, the bed still between them.

Meanwhile, Sally took another step forward and glanced around. "Jack, please come out?" She cooed playfully. "I'm lonely without you." She giggled again.

Meanwhile, Jack, silent as the air, crawled across his bed toward her.

Sally stepped to the side. "I still think you must be under the bed…" she whispered to herself, and then bent down to lift up the sheet and check under there.

Jack paused, not even blinking, hoping she wouldn't turn around when she rose up and see him about to pounce.

Sally stood back up though and luckily remained looking forward toward Jack's vanity and armoire. "Hmm…" she pouted, "I could have sworn I had a strong feeling you were under the bed this time…"

Behind Sally, Jack was barely an inch away. He beamed at the notion of his impending scare. He wanted to just seductively whisper 'Boo!' by her ear, but he knew she preferred a really intense scare so… He contorted his face and finally screamed. "RRRAWGH!"

"AHH!" Sally screamed and jumped so high that she almost toppled to the floor, though Jack quickly got an arm around her to keep her up as he knelt on the bed.

"Oh Sally," the Pumpkin King laughed and shook his head, "you…you really should see the look on your face one of these days when I do that!"

Sally, still breathing heavily and clinging to him as though for dear life, managed to get her legs steady beneath herself again as she looked to him. "Oh Jack, it's so exciting when you scream at me like that. I love playing hide and seek together!" Giggles poured out of her.

Jack chuckled more and nodded, an arm still around her. "I agree, I like it too. I never thought I'd get used to the idea of someone who actually giggles and smiles when I scare them instead of cowering in fear, but it's starting to grow on me." He smirked a little. "You really are just adorable when you're frightened."

"Well, I can't help giggling and smiling." Sally's eyes hazed. "I just find your scariness so fun…and so attractive. You're the most terrifying man there ever was, after all. And being terrified is thrilling. It makes me feel electrified all over, like how it felt to be brought to life by the Doctor but even better…Jack…my King…" She came forward and kissed him.

Jack closed his eyes and kissed her in return. He was about to step off the bed so that they could be standing together beside it but was stopped as Sally instead climbed onto the bed with him. Reposing together now, their kiss deepened completely and their touching grew as Sally clung to his ribs hidden by his nightshirt and Jack stroked along the silk-covered seams along her back he now knew so well. They were lost in their intimacy, especially as Jack deepened their kiss.

They broke apart after a few moments, breathing heavily, smiling, lips parted.

Sally gazed at him. "I like being scared…a lot." She blushed distinctly and looked down a little.

Jack gave a small nod. "So I gathered." He sighed, still smiling away. "Pouncing me down to the bed isn't fair at all, you know. I'll never be able to fall asleep now…. My marrow's racing too much." He swallowed.

She smiled and just cuddled close to him. "I like when we stay up late anyway. We get to talk more." Yet she yawned, unable to help herself.

Jack smiled warmly and brushed aside a few strands of her hair from her face. "I like talking too. But you seem sleepy. We have had a long day after all: a weekend trip out of town, meeting new people…deciding to possibly make almost half a dozen children together." He sighed and then lay on his back and looked up to the ceiling. "I still haven't the faintest idea where we would put them all even if we really did do that, you know."

Sally laughed. "We can think about it when the time comes, Jack, if four or five is what we really decide on. And besides, this house is very big." She lay down and turned on her back beside him on the bed to look up at the ceiling too.

Jack smiled again but shook his head. "Not big enough though. I just designed it for myself, not a whole family. And the children should each have their own room: trust me, if they're my children they're going to want their own spaces to create and to brood and just to be alone sometimes too. There are maybe two other rooms that could be fixed up as bedrooms, but that's all since I already have this room and you have the tower."

"Jack, don't be silly." Sally's smile picked up on one side. "One of the children could take my tower, or even two of them if we put in a wall to divide it up somehow."

Jack blinked and glanced at her. "But then where would you stay, Sally?"

Sally blushed a little, gazing at him. "Well, if we were married and expecting children…I'd hope I'd be staying in here with you, my King. You know…all the time."

Jack blanched a little. "O-Oh, yes, I…yes, that's right. How silly of me—sorry, sometimes the most obvious things just escape me, heh."

"It's all right." She nuzzled his skull with her head. "It's a lot of changes, it's fine it if takes you some time to get used to the idea of them."

Jack glanced down shyly, a sweet smile on his bony lips. "I'm sure as our time together passes, I'll get used to them easily enough. I'm just happy to have any changes…and such good changes." He hugged her gently. "Everything's new, and I couldn't be happier." He yawned in some sleepiness.

Sally giggled, her eyes growing heavy. "Changes can be fun…and new things too…like visiting Valentine's Town this weekend was. I loved taking a trip together for the first time."

Jack chuckled. "I did too. Though I don't know what's going to be more scandalous to the town—us having gone off together all alone for a weekend for the first official time, or the fact that almost every night the townspeople either see a light on in your room or a light on in my room, but almost never in both of our bedrooms at once…just in the one we clearly both happen to be in for the evening."

"Oh, Jack, it doesn't matter." Sally blushed and smiled more. "As long as we can be with each other, let everyone keep guessing about the details, like I said." She yawned again. "We should take more weekend trips together when we can. Let's go to Christmas town next. I miss playing in the snow." She let out a happy sigh, recalling the fun times she and Jack had shared together while finishing out the winter—building snow corpses and going for walks among the snow covered graves and playing fetch with Zero in the snow drifts and even sharing cozy moments by the fire as they drank a bottle of pumpkin wine together or mugs of some delicious Christmas Town treat Jack had introduced her to called hot cocoa with marshmallows. "Snow's so much fun. I hope Santa brings some to us every year from now on. Do you think he will, Jack?"

Jack sat up a little and nodded, remembering how sweet and enchanting Sally had been frolicking in the snow with him all winter long, having fun, being happy. They had both been like children at times, carefree and full of wonder. '_She'll enchant me right out of my grave, I swear_.' "Yes, snow is fun," he replied as he stood up from the bed now. "And yes, I'm sure Mr. Clause will bring us snow as long as we celebrate Christmas and are all good and kind to one another just as we usually are. But just to be safe, I'll certainly see to planning a trip to Christmas Town for us so that you can have fun and play in the snow no matter what." He offered her a hand up, which Sally took to stand, and then Jack pulled back a corner of the blanket and bent low, gesturing for her to enter under the covers first. "Perhaps…we could even have a honeymoon there one day…" he added softly as a little blanch came to his features.

Sally slipped under the blanket, her smile brightening as Jack followed after her on the other side of the bed. "A honeymoon in Christmas Town? Really?"

Now they were both tucked in side by side.

Jack nodded. "If you liked it enough to want one there, then, yes, we could have that. Of course, it's a long way away to make any definite plans though. We could even just go somewhere cold and wintery…a place with a cozy little cabin tucked away in the snowy woods, and a warm fire, and hot cocoa."

Sally's eyes went a little hazed. "…You and I cuddled up with each other safe from the cold…sharing warm blankets…staying up all night…just two lovers 'being together'." She moved just a little closer to him, and one of her fingers came up to gently play with the top button of his nightshirt.

Jack's eye sockets went a little wide, and he blanched as he nodded to her words. "Oh y-yes…just a private place for you and I as we start out our life together." He felt his bones trembling. "Two lovers… 'sharing'."

Sally smiled more, her voice quiet. "I like sharing…"

Jack swallowed, his voice quiet as well. "Me too…" His shy smile couldn't help growing.

Sally sighed dreamily. "I know we'd have a lovely time, Jack…I can feel it." She nuzzled his skull tenderly as she gently removed her fingers from his shirt.

Jack smiled more and nodded. "I-I don't have much intuition, but I feel we would too."

"I'm looking forward to it already." Sally kissed his cheek and then let out such a content sigh, cuddling up more against him beneath the covers. "Breakfast together in the morning like usual?"

Jack nodded, feeling warm all over as he cuddled close to her as well. "Of course: I'll make the vulture eggs, you make the pumpkin porridge. Then we'll walk together into town so I can go to town hall and you can go to your sewing shop…"

"Yes." Sally nodded. "Then we'll have lunch together in town where everyone can see us and whisper about us like they like to do. And then later I can go work on my fortune telling practice, and you can go work on your holiday research."

"Oh yes, of course." Jack chuckled. "Then once we're both done with work, let's be spontaneous and go on a spring evening rowboat ride across the lake with Zero before dinner. There are sea monsters, but I'll terrify them away if I have to all for you, my lady." He winked.

Sally laughed. "That sounds like the most terrifying fun we could have." She yawned once more and then closed her eyes, sleepiness starting to overtake her. "I love you, Jack." She snuggled in under the blankets.

Jack leaned forward and gently kissed the top of her forehead. "I love you too, Sally." He sighed and yawned as well as he closed his eye sockets. "Goodnight, splendid Sally." Jack curled an arm completely around her.

Sally let her hand come up to gently lie against his chest. "Goodnight, dearest Jack."

A good night indeed as the milky moonlight shown in through the window overhead, setting the two slumbering lovers aglow amongst the blackness and the darkness as their lives found a gentle peace together.

* * *

**A/N:**

That's all for now, everyone! Thank you so much for reading this story, I'm so happy you all enjoyed it ^_^ I may do a small oneshot sequel to this, we'll see. But I'm not sure when I'll write it if I do. Anyway, please review if you can, and take care everyone! There'll be more stories from me about these two, but mostly random one shots that I hope you'll all like : )

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	26. Finale: The Pumpkin King and Queen

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! So I've been meaning to write a little sequel/conclusion to this story for a while, and I wanted to do it around now when it's the best season for this movie ^_^ So I've been writing this for the past month and I decided to post it today (November 1st) since the story actually takes place on a November 1st. I hope you all enjoy it very much, and thank you all so much for reading! And I hope you all had Happy Halloweens!

**Dearest Friends**

**Finale:**

**The Pumpkin King and Queen**

* * *

'_This is Halloween, This is Halloween…'_

Though as of yesterday Halloween was behind them for another year, Sally couldn't help humming the tune of the familiar holiday anthem to herself right now as she stitched a seam while standing behind the counter in her little tailor shop. The song sort of captured the rhythm of the town, after all, and brought everyone together in a way that had always made Sally happy. And it was also a nice reminder of spending her first Halloween yesterday not hiding behind gravestones and outrunning the Doctor but right beside her dearest friend—Jack Skellington. The man of her nightmares. And a truly passionate master of fright and demon of light, especially on Halloween.

Sally giggled as she moved on to another seam, recalling how lovely celebrating the holiday together had been, how wonderful it was to have so many friends now to share the holidays with (and so many holidays to share with her friends), and how often she found herself smiling at the thought of this new life she had: a seamstress in love who had some place and someone all her own to come home to each night. What more could she possibly desire?

Well, Jack's presence right now would have been nice.

Sally glanced up at the clock on her wall just as it chimed noon. "Good. He should be here any minute. Lunch together is his favorite time of our day." She giggled to herself as she finished the final seam of her latest job and turned to place the garment on a shelf behind her counter.

Just then the little strip of jingle bells over her front door rang out.

"Hello," came a familiar, playful voice, "pardon me, is the mistress of the shop in?"

Sally's eyes and smile brightened. She turned…and sure enough there was Jack standing in her doorway with that lovely skeletal grin of his and a little glint in his dark eye sockets. Sally noticed that he was wearing a suit she had freshly pressed for him as well as one of his more elegant bowties…and his arms were behind his back, holding something that hung low behind him.

"This is she." Sally moved closer to the counter with a playful smile. "How can I help you, Mr. Pumpkin King? Do you need something sewn, altered, stitched…?"

Jack's smile warmed as he came closer. "Actually, I was just hoping for a companion for lunch. Could you accompany me and regale me with the charming conversation of a splendid seamstress?"

Sally giggled as she strolled out from behind the counter in her long, Autumn-tone patchwork dress. "If that's all you need, then I'm very happy to oblige. But…" she approached, her eyes hazing a little, "…are you sure you don't also need just a little bit of sewing done? Even some new buttons on your shirt? If you'd remove it for me, I'm sure I could make some good recommendations…." She gently touched the button at the collar of his shirt.

The Pumpkin King blanched, and suddenly his suave act was broken in favor of his natural shyness with her. "Sally…" He glanced away with a smile. "Very funny."

She giggled; her voice softened. "It's sweet how you're so shy again now that Halloween's over. Does this mean that when Christmas comes, maybe you'll be very passionate again too?"

Jack grinned. "When Christmas comes, you and I will celebrate the holiday here in town and then go off to spend a whole week at a lovely cottage just outside of Christmas Town—that is, if you want to. Snow angels, hot chocolate, snowmen, gingerbread…. I finished making the plans with Santa this morning. I hope you'll consider it an early Christmas gift."

"Really, Jack?" Sally beamed. "Are you sure we won't be too much trouble visiting just after their holiday?"

"Don't worry, Santa said we'd be more than welcome," Jack assured. "And Mrs. Claus says Christmas Town is beautiful that time of year with the hustle and bustle calming down…everyone full of happiness and peace and love." His eye sockets twinkled.

Sally's eyes twinkled as well. "It sounds wonderful, Jack. I can't wait." Then she moved a little closer, hands clasped together, and wobbled on her legs as she tried to crane her head around his shoulder. "Now…are you going to tell me what's behind your back, or are you going to keep it a secret for the whole afternoon?"

Jack's smile grew as he finally presented the concealed item: a picnic basket. "I thought we could have a nice private picnic lunch today—and maybe a longer one than usual? I'd like to spend some time together."

Sally blushed a little, her smile growing. "But we already spent almost all of last night together, my Pumpkin King—talking and laughing and dancing and singing…and cuddling and kissing." She blushed purple.

"I know." Jack blanched. "But today is different. I have something on my mind. It's important—something special."

"Is it something for next Halloween?" Sally raised an eyebrow then reached into a pocket of her dress and removed a small crystal ball (she always kept one with her now, just like her needles and thread). "Do you want me to predict how it'll work out?" She giggled.

Jack's smile warmed. "Thank you, but there's no need—I have a very good feeling it'll work out, darling. Your intuition is starting to rub off on me." He winked.

Sally smiled more as she placed the ball back into her dress. "All right then, mysterious Jack. We'll go for a picnic, and you can tell me all about your big secret. But I have to be back before two—the Mayor and the witches are coming to pick up and order some things. And you know the trick-or-treaters usually like to stop by around then each day."

"Yes, I do." Jack's smile picked up on one side. "They only bother people they really like, you know."

Sally shrugged with a smile. "I think they mostly like that I really do give them treats to prevent tricks: today I've got double chocolate frog's breath cookies all baked for them. But yes, I think they do like me. And they like you too—you're one of their favorite people to talk about, after all. And I'm sure they'll have a lot to say about the very scary Halloween you put together this year: this one really was our most frightful one yet." Indeed, with Jack's passion for the holiday returned (and with a crowd of on-looking holiday leaders to impress…not to mention some Valentine children) Jack had gone all out on the celebration yesterday. Even the trick-or-treaters had been spooked!

Jack chuckled, his head held high. "Yes, well…I'm just happy to be a good spooky role model for them." He moved closer and put an arm around her. His voice lowered. "And relating to them is excellent practice for those frightful little children we decided to have one of these days, don't you think?" He leaned in to give her cheek and neck little kisses.

Sally sighed. "I…yes." Her blush darkened. "Dearest Jack…not now…someone could walk into the shop…" She giggled.

With a low chuckle Jack finally pulled back, though he still held her. "Very well, splendid Sally. We can continue tonight…or even during lunch. I thought a picnic out on Spiral Hill might be nice." He twirled a few strands of her yarn hair around his fingers.

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Spiral Hill? We never go there for lunch. You really are in a romantic mood today, aren't you?"

A shy smile came to Jack's bony lips, and there was a light behind the darkness of his eye sockets. "You have no idea…." His smile became normal again. "Now then, are you going to come along, or do I have to carry you through town along with the picnic basket?"

"Jack…" Sally laughed and pulled back to straighten her dress. "I think I'll walk for now. Maybe when it's dark out or we're alone you can carry me." She rocked on her heels shyly.

"I'll be happy to oblige, my love." He opened the shop door and bowed low, gesturing toward the street with an arm. "Now then, shall we, my most ravishing and delightful dolly?"

Sally smiled more and raised an eyebrow as she came forward. "You really are in a strange mood today, Jack Skellington—even your clothes are different. Why did you put on one of your best suits?" She walked past him, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Is there a special occasion I should know about? You're not planning another holiday heist, are you?"

Jack straightened up and chuckled as he followed after her. "Why ever steal another holiday when everything I want is already in my own? I'm just feeling especially splendid today, Sally. And who knows, maybe soon you will too…" He closed the shop door behind them.

The sounds of Jack and Sally laughing and chatting together could be heard through the door until their voices faded away as they departed.

* * *

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, the bell over the door to Sally's shop rang as the Mayor waddled inside, his happy face showing. "Hello? Sally? I'm here to order that new spider tie that doesn't bite me. Wonderful suggestion of yours, by the way. Oh!"

The Mayor paused; rather than Sally behind the counter, he saw the Witches and Undersea Gal standing in front of the counter.

"She's not here." Zeldabourne pouted.

"But Sally told us to pick up our new winter hats at two," Helgamine chimed in, scratching her head. "And the shop door wasn't locked, and the lights were on."

"Yes." Undersea Gal nodded. "And Sally's always open in the afternoons if we want some fortunetelling: I wanted to make sure the lake will freeze over this winter in time for the town to go ice skating during Christmas." She scratched her head. "It's very odd that Sally wouldn't lock up if she went out."

"Do you think something happened to her?" Zeldabourne frowned.

"I saw her and Jack walking through town earlier heading to lunch," Helgamine added. "What if he walked her back here but she got food poisoning—and not the good kind? Maybe he had to rush and take her to the Doctor and Jewel? Jewel's been running that little medical clinic of hers, after all…"

"Oh no, poor Sally!" Zeldabourne spun in a circle and fell to the floor.

"Or maybe something happened to the Doctor or Jewel, and Sally had to rush out to see to them!" Undersea Gal bit her lip.

The witches gasped.

Faced with the three distraught ladies, the Mayor's frowning face of course came to the forefront. He held up his arms as he approached them. "Now, now, ladies, please. I'm sure everything's all right. Jack certainly would have sent Zero to alert me if anything was wrong. I'm sure they just decided to take a long lunch or maybe Jack had some Halloween ideas and was in a rush to get Sally home so she could help him with them. Please don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing—just…"

Suddenly, the Mayor went quiet, and they all turned their heads to the door behind the counter; they'd just heard a small 'bump' sound from the back.

Undersea Gal raised an eyebrow and whispered. "Rats?"

Zeldabourne shook head and whispered as well. "Nope—rats squeak. Bats?"

Helgamine shook her head, whispering as well. "Not at this time of day." She scowled and took off her hat to put the point to her ear to hear better. "But maybe it's three trick-or-treaters who are known to break into shops from time to time…"

Suddenly the jingle bells strip over the shop door sounded as the door flew open.

The trick-or-treaters tumbled inside after clearly having been eavesdropping at the door.

"Hey, whatever it is you're talking about with Sally, we didn't do it," Lock announced with his pitchfork held high as he stood up.

"Yeah, we were off doing something else we shouldn't," Barrel added as he licked his lollipop and stood as well.

"We're here for treats…or else you can expect tricks!" Shock scowled at the group before them as she stood up and adjusted her witch's hat. "As long as Sally keeps giving us sweets, why would we do anything to her or her shop?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the adults. "And if she really is gone, you'd better figure out where she is and get her back soon. Or else."

"Yeah!" Lock and Barrel said together, crossing their arms over their chests.

Helgamine returned her hat to her head, and the witches and Undersea Gal looked at the (clearly, in this one case, innocent) trick-or-treaters with wide eyes and then looked to the Mayor.

Still with his sad face, the Mayor looked to them all and whispered. "Oogie Boogie…?" The gorge had been filled in months ago of course, and there hadn't been any signs of Oogie's return. And Jack had even erected a headstone for him in the graveyard: a noble gesture. Yet still, whenever something a little to too creepy happened in Halloween town (and especially when the cause couldn't be determined) people still whispered in curiosity that perhaps it was Oogie Boogie….

Another small sound—the creak of a floorboard—came from the back of the shop.

Looks of concern came to the three ladies. The three trick-or-treaters just sighed and rolled their eyes.

Shock came forward and gave the Mayor a push. "Hey," she whispered up to him, "you're our fearless leader when Jack's not around. Go check what's back there! I want whatever's going on here over and done with so I can get my treats."

The Mayor almost tumbled forward but regained his balance and nodded. "All right, all right…" He sighed and then raised his voice as he stepped closer to the counter and called out toward the door to the back of the shop. "Erm…hello? Is somebody…Oh!"

And now he darted aside (as did everyone else) as Jack and Sally suddenly burst out of the back through the door, laughing and blushing as Sally darted after Jack past the counter and finally wrapped her arms around him. He wrapped his arms around her in return and dipped her back as they fell into a deep kiss. They separated after a moment, looking into each other's eyes with beaming smiles and shallow breaths. Sally giggled and Jack chuckled as they gazed at each other here in this quiet moment…

…that happened to be full of about half a dozen people they knew.

As one of Jack's best friends, the Mayor felt it was his responsibility to let them know about their audience before anything further happened (not only did they still seem oblivious to the crowd, but one of Sally's hands was playing with Jack's bowtie now and one of Jack's bony hands had just drifted low on her hip).

"Er…" He waddled a little closer and cleared his throat. "Pardon me, Jack, Sally… it's already late in the afternoon and the door wasn't locked, so we thought the shop was open and came inside. But should we…come back later?"

The Witches and Undersea Gal, meanwhile, finally couldn't help some light giggling and cooing at the romantic sight of their king and his lady.

And now of course the trick-or-treaters added their comments.

"Wow…" Barrel scratched his head, "I'm not sure if I just _lost_ a lot of respect for Jack or _gained_ a lot of respect for Jack."

"You guys do know there are children present, right?" Lock couldn't help himself.

"Well, at least he finally gave her a real kiss in front of everybody." Shock grinned.

Normally, when caught in an intimate moment, Jack and Sally froze up, went wide-eyed, and quickly pulled part.

This time, however, their eyes widened only slightly but then warm smiles grew even more on their faces. The looked at each other for another moment, nodded as though communicating something, and then gently separated though they remained holding hands.

Jack looked to the crowd. "My apologies, Mayor, everyone—I'm afraid I knew Sally needed to be ready for all of you by now, but I still insisted on distracting her in the back all this time. I hope you'll forgive me." He looked to Sally and bowed low, raising her arm. "Can you forgive me as well, darling?" He kissed the back of her hand.

A blushing Sally nodded. "Of course, dearest Jack." As Jack straightened up, she looked to everyone. "And I'm sorry for keeping all of you waiting." She squeezed his hand then let it go and walked gracefully behind the counter, arms behind her back. "Now then, how can I help you?" she asked with a faint blush and a sweet smile as she turned to everyone.

The ladies and the Mayor just looked on with wide eyes while the trick-or-treaters burst into laughter.

Finally Zeldabourne blinked a few times and gave Helgamine a nudge forward.

"Oh, er…" Helgamine cleared her throat. "Yes, well, Zeldabourne and I just needed to, uh…pick up our new winter hats."

"Yeah." Zeldabourne nodded. "Are they ready, Sally? We can come back later if you want."

Sally smiled more as reached under the counter and produced two stunning witches hats. "Don't worry, they're ready. And I'm sorry again for keeping you waiting." She held out a hat to each of them. "I hope you like how spooky you'll look in these."

"Ooo…"

"Wow…"

The hats were made of thick, warm black silk and cotton with exquisite details stitched on them in green and silver thread, the points looked extra sharp, and there was even black lace trim around the edges.

The witches admired the beautiful hats as they took them.

"Thank you, Sally," they said together.

A soft giggle escaped Sally. "You're welcome. Now, who's next?"

Undersea Gal raised a hand. "Er…I wanted to get a reading on the weather—can you tell me if the lake will freeze over this year in time for ice skating at Christmas?"

Sally nodded. "Of course." She took out her little crystal ball and gazed deeply into it—soon it glowed (with a pale purple light to everyone else, but with distinct colors and shapes to Sally). She smiled and looked to Undersea Gal as the ball's slight faded. "We should have a cold front come just before Thanksgiving—the lake will be frozen over in plenty of time for ice skating during Christmas."

Undersea Gal nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Sally." She stepped to the side.

Sally's gaze went forward. "And Mayor, I'm guessing you're here to order your new spider tie? One that won't bite like we talked about last week when we were Halloween planning?"

The Mayor blinked then nodded. "Oh, er…yes…" As he waddled up to the counter, his smiling face came forward. He couldn't help looking from a beaming Sally to a beaming Jack and back to Sally again. "My, Sally, I've never seen you and Jack in such a happy mood. Is it a special day? An anniversary of some kind? Or are you still just excited from Halloween last night?"

Sally giggled. "All three in a way." The Mayor tilted his head, but Sally just produced a tape measure from her dress as well as a notepad and took a few quick measurements around his collar and of his current tie. "Let's see…there we go, that's all I'll need." She jotted down the measurements and slipped the pad under the counter and the tape measure back into her dress. "I'll have your tie for you next week."

"Perfect." The Mayor nodded. "You really are a brilliant seamstress, Sally."

Sally smiled more. "Thank you, Mayor."

"Hey, don't forget us!" Shock announced, quickly moving forward.

"Yeah!" Barrel added, following right behind her. "Halloween's Finest Trick-or-treaters!"

"You said so yourself once, Jack!" Lock reminded the Pumpkin King.

Jack chuckled and nodded. "So I did. And I think Sally has something special for you."

Sally nodded, reached through the door into the back, and quickly produced a tray of fresh chocolate frog's breath cookies. "Just because Halloween's 364 days away doesn't mean there still isn't plenty of time for treats." She presented the cookies to the kids.

The kids grabbed the tray and began to eat with gusto.

"Thanks, Sally!" Lock hooked three cookies with his pitchfork.

"These are great!" Barrel even set aside his lollipop as he kept stuffing his face.

"Eh…even I have to admit they're not bad!" Shock actually gave a small smile as she took another cookie to munch on. "And even Halloween was pretty good this year too—thanks for finally fixing mopey Jack!"

"Mmm hmm!" Lock and Barrel nodded with big smiles, their mouths full of cookies.

Jack moved forward and leaned on the counter toward Sally, his eye sockets hazed. "Such a busy, capable, brilliant lady. How in the world do you find time for all of this and me as well?"

Sally's eyes hazed as she leaned closer too. "A Halloween town citizen should always find time for her king."

Jack blanched as Sally blushed and held back a giggle.

And then the Mayor decided (especially as he watched the witches and Undersea Gal looking on with curious expressions and near swoons while the trick-or-treaters started making kissy faces in the background) that Jack and Sally really were in the middle of something and needed to be left alone again now (and really, he couldn't have been more satisfied with the effects of Jack and Sally's new private relationship—The Pumpkin King was at his most passionate and happy these days, Sally had a knack for spreading calm and happiness even in the midst of the frenzy that was Halloween planning, and the entire town just seemed happier, the Mayor himself included). He waddled in front of everyone and started gently nudging them toward the door. "Er, everyone, I think it's time we all went on our way for the afternoon. Jack and Sally are very busy people, after all."

Collective groans came from everyone.

"Oh all right…" huffed Helgamine.

"Aw, gee, really?" pouted Zeldabourne.

"But it was just getting good…" Undersea Gal lamented.

"Eh, I'm fine with leaving as long as I've got cookies." Lock grinned as he munched another one.

"Yeah, me too!" Barrel let out a belch.

"We can always see them embarrass themselves later." Shock smirked and glanced over her shoulder. "Bye, you two—try not to decide to turn this place into mushy-gushy Valentine Town or anything while we're gone."

The trick-or-treaters cackled as the Mayor finally got everyone through the door. Then he glanced over his shoulder and waved. "Bye, Jack, bye Sally—enjoy your afternoon."

Jack waved. "Thank you, Mayor…really." He gave him a meaningful nod.

Blushing, Sally gave the Mayor a small wave too. "Yes, thank you." She raised her voice. "And goodbye to all of you too!"

The Mayor nodded in return and finally got out into the street with everyone else. The door closed behind them, and the jingle bells sounded one more time.

Left alone again finally, Jack let out a sigh and blanched with a sheepish smile as he turned to Sally again. "I can't believe we didn't hear them when we were back there."

"We were very distracted." Sally replied softly, blushing completely. "It's understandable."

There was a small sofa on one side of Sally's shop for customers to sit on while they waited.

Jack walked over and sat down on one end; he patted the free cushion.

Sally came out from behind the counter and sat beside him.

"Did you put it in your pocket?" Smiling, Jack raised an eyebrow. "You were very quick—even I didn't see when you did it. And it was very clever of you to hide it by having us hold hands at first."

"Thank you, Jack." Sally nodded. "Yes, I slipped it in my pocket when I walked around to the back of the counter. Here, I'll…"

"No…" Jack reached out as her hand emerged from her pocket grasping something small. Her wrapped his bony fingers gently around her little fist. "Here, let me…"

Her fingers slowly uncurled to reveal something tiny and bright—a little silver band with crystal leaves around it and diamond at the center, bright and round as a full moon.

A ring.

Jack took the ring and carefully slid the band over Sally finger again. "Sally: soon to be my Queen, now and forever." Then he raised her hand and kissed it. "Thank you for saying yes and making me the happiest man dead."

"My King…I can't believe I didn't have a feeling you were going to do this." She laughed, and a couple of tears fell from her eyes that she wiped away, "How long were you planning this? The hill and the picnic and…"

"I've been picturing it for a while. And I wanted to ask at least before the holidays were over this year." Jack's smile grew. "But last night—last night I realized…I'd never been happier on a Halloween until I finally spent one with you. I never want to spend another one without you. And then I just knew it was the right time, Sally; I couldn't wait. You know me—spontaneous to a fault." He chuckled.

She chuckled too. "You were spontaneous to perfection this time, Jack. Proposing was a wonderful surprise." She came forward and hugged him then let out a happy sigh. "My dearest Jack…"

Jack hugged her in return. "My splendid Sally…" He laughed. "And then you pounced me to the ground for hugs and kisses on our hill after you said yes. If we hadn't been worried about somebody seeing us out there in broad daylight, we could have just spent the afternoon out there 'celebrating'."

Sally pulled back with a big smile. "But coming back here was fun too…even if we did forget to lock the door behind us and got caught." She giggled. "Oh Jack, Halloween might have passed, but you still have so much of its passion in you. It really is no wonder we didn't hear them all come in." She blushed a faint purple.

"Yes…" Jack blanched a little again. "We really get so lost in each other sometimes when we're close." He looked down still with a dreamy smile.

Sally observed him. "Jack…" her voice lowered and she swallowed, "we're...engaged now." Her blush darkened.

Jack nodded. The sight of her blush made him blanch. "I know." He swallowed. "And, um…that's another reason I knew I was ready to ask you—and to hope that you were ready to say yes." He shifted closer and took her hand in his again. "Because I think I'm ready for other things too now…like planning how to share the rule of Halloween Town together…and talking more about having a child…or five…" he smiled a little more as he lowered his voice, "…and trying to express our love in all the ways it can be expressed…Sally." His bony fingertips delicately traced the seams of her arm. "As long as you want to too…"

Sally's leaves practically trembled; she smiled a little more too. "You did mention a lovely cabin we'd be sharing together just after Christmas; a warm place in the dark and the snow…. We talked once about how nice a place like that would be for two people in love. And as long as we're going, we could take some time first to get more comfortable with each other." She raised his other hand and kissed his fingertips, her voice softer. "I'm ready too, Jack. To plan more about ruling, about children…about making love…"

Jack leaned in and suddenly kissed her deeply. Sally gasped through her nose until her eyes fluttered closed and she finally returned the sudden gesture.

Eventually he pulled back, breathing lightly as he looked into her eyes, his eye sockets uncertain but full of curious passion. "I don't even know where to start."

She smiled, breathing lightly as well. "Jack, it's just like kissing, remember? There's no right or wrong way, just…whatever works for us." She cupped the side of his skull in her hand. "We'll work it out together even if it takes a whole night…or many nights…" She blushed with a shy grin.

Jack nodded, blanching completely now with a little grin of his own. "That sounds splendid, Sally."

They just savored being close for a moment, touching each other, both feeling together how much good was in their future.

Finally Sally came forward and nuzzled his skull. "Let's take the afternoon off. And maybe we can go by the manor and ask Jewel and the Doctor if we can come over for dinner tonight? I want to tell them first about us before we tell the rest of the town."

"Yes, of course." Jack nodded, giving her a little nuzzle in return.

Sally giggled. "And between telling them and dinner, maybe you and I can go home and…continue what we were doing in the back and see where it goes…just to start."

A low chuckle left Jack. "I'd like that. Kissing and cuddling are very nice…and lead to very nice things." He stood up. "Come on, then…" And before she could say anything else he had her scooped up in his arms. "Let's go."

Sally laughed as she put her arms around his neck. "Jack! We can't actually walk through town like this."

Jack chuckled. "Just over the shop threshold…and then later maybe up the stairs to our house. Please? I want to practice for after the wedding."

Sally giggled nodded. "Deal." She cuddled against his chest and let out a peaceful sigh. "I wanted to be together with you like this ever since I met you, Jack, practically ever since I was made. And…sometimes I had a feeling it would happen…but I was so scared it wouldn't that I never let myself accept the premonition. But now it's all come true. I'm so happy to be with you, Jack."

Jack gazed down at her as he carried her to the door. "I never thought someone like you would come into my life—I didn't even have a hint. But here you are, somehow, someway. And I'm happy to be with you too, Sally."

He pushed open the door with his hip.

"_Together…now and forever_…" murmured Sally.

Jack's voice lowered an octave. "_For it is plain as anyone can see_…"

They sang lightly together. "_We're simply meant to be_."

As the shop door closed behind them, Jack and Sally went off together against the setting sun (and yes, eventually, Jack remembered to put Sally down, though not before quite a bit of the town had gotten the chance to smile at the sight of them and wonder why Jack and Sally were so especially happy together right now). The happy couple prepared to experience the rest of their wonderful day—and the rest of their wonderful lives—together.

They stood on the edge of a beautiful time.

* * *

_Ten years later…_

All of the holidays had taken to visiting each other over the years. And Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day had an especially special relationship…which explained why on this winter's day, December 26th, near the ten year anniversary of Jack's fateful holiday flight, the Skellington home was being visited by both Santa Claus and Queen Flora (while Mrs. Claus and Magistrate Marigold looked after their respective holiday worlds—letting holiday assistants and partners have a chance to fully run things, and with all due praise, was another new innovation ever since the holidays had all come to know each other's names). The Heart Queen and Father Christmas were there to catch up with Jack and with Sally…and with the five special little creations the Pumpkin King and Queen had collaborated on over the past decade.

The children were lovely—little ragdollish and skelletonish creatures, both spooky and sweet. They sang and played xylophones and sat on Santa's lap and took chocolates happily from Flora while Sally served tea and Jack made sure their chaos was contained. Everyone smiled and laughed together as the evening wore on, even as the hour grew late and Sally started to prepare the smallest ones for bed while Flora entertained the older ones with the story of Jack's first visit to Valentine town.

Santa and Jack, meanwhile, sat on the sofa together smiling as they finished gathering the children's toys and instruments now that playtime was almost over.

"Jack…" Santa smiled as he observed the happy scene in the room, his voice quiet.

"Yes?" Jack glanced to his friend.

Santa sighed, a special twinkle in his eyes. "All those years ago, what you did with Christmas…even though it caused trouble…somehow it was the right thing to do. I don't think I ever told you that. And I just wanted to make sure I finally did." He looked to the Pumpkin King. "You're a good man, Jack Skellington. I'm proud to be your friend.

Jack's bony grin grew to its fullest extent. "Thank you, Santa. And yes, it…it was a good thing, wasn't it?" He looked to Sally and Flora and the children, and the twinkle of a tear came to his eye socket as he glanced back to Santa. "And I'm proud to be your friend too."

The two leaders shared a special smile and shook hands.

"Jack…!" Sally called out across the room as she came down the stairs leading to the tower just as Flora led the oldest child up for bed. "I'm afraid they want a bedtime story from the Pumpkin King—and they'd like it to have songs too, of course."

Jack stood up with a big smile and straightened his tie. "Well, who am I to deny my favorite audience."

"Oh, Jack, could I join you?" Santa rocked forward to stand up. "It's after Christmas; I won't get another audience of children for months."

"Of course, Santa." Jack nodded. "I'm sure they'd love to have you."

Santa waddled forward, and Jack chuckled to himself before following after him.

Meanwhile, a laughing Flora returned down the stairs too. She addressed Sally with a bright smile, her eyes full of light and her cheeks pink as roses. "Oh, I love to see the children, Sally—thank you for having us! You and Jack have brought more love to this world than I ever could have." She laughed.

"Thank you, Flora." Sally blushed purple with a big smile as she looked to her friend. "And we love having you visit—we want the children to know about all the holidays right from the start. They love the stories and the songs and seeing so many new people."

As Santa approached the ladies now to reach the stairs to the tower, Sally suddenly leaned down and hugged him. "And thank you for coming too, Santa. And for the presents each year for the children. They love them so much."

"Ho, ho, ho," Santa chuckled as Sally released him, "for such charming little holiday citizens, presents are my pleasure to give." He tipped his hat and then touched the side of his nose with his finger, winked, and suddenly zipped right up the stairs to the nursery courtesy of a little Christmas magic. "Hello, children!" His cheerful voice could be heard from below. "Guess what—Santa is going to help your Daddy tell you a story!"

He was met with cheers and squeals of delight of course.

Flora beamed. "Oh, maybe I'll help too! Or at least watch—I love a good story! Come on, Pumpkin Queen!" She dashed back up the stairs, pulling a laughing Sally along.

As Flora raced into the tower (expanded now, as the nursery, and full of five little beds each housing a different Skellington child), Sally paused in the doorway for a moment, just smiling at the night.

She smiled even more as a step creaked and now Jack came to stand beside her. He took her hand.

The Pumpkin King and Queen stood side by side in the doorway looking on with warm gazes.

"It's our anniversary next week," Jack whispered softly to Sally. "Shall we let the children have a few days visiting 'Pop Pop Finkelstein' and 'Auntie Jewel' while we take some time to celebrate?"

Sally smiled more and nodded. "Jewel already can't wait to have them. And I can't wait for us to have some time together."

"Where shall we go, my love?" Jack grinned. "Another holiday? The human world? Off into the Hinterlands? The world is ours…"

"Actually…" Sally blushed faintly and rocked on her heels, "I'd just like to stay here. We could have the house to ourselves and remember what it was like after that first Christmas when we came to live together and fell in love and started building our life—all of the memories…."

Jack moved closer and squeezed her hand. "I think I'd like that too, Sally."

They looked to each other and shared a kiss.

Squeals and giggles from the children eventually made the Pumpkin King and Queen pull apart with blushes and smiles.

And suddenly they had to duck down as Zero darted past them to fly into the room. He barked, flying in circles while the children laughed and squealed more. Finally Zero paused in the air and barked to Jack and Sally to join them.

"All right, all right, we're coming." Jack smiled.

"Yes," Sally nodded. "You're right—kissing time is later, story time is now."

They laughed as they entered the room to join in the fun, full of friends and family and love.

Happy Halloween and Merry Christmas (and Happy Valentine's Day) to all, and to all a good, spooky, lovely night.

* * *

**A/N:**

Thank you all so much for reading this story! And I hope the ending was sweet but not cheesy—I've been worrying about that as I was writing, and I did my best to strike a good balance ^^ Please review if you can! And even though I probably won't add to this particular story anymore, there'll still be more TNBC stories from me in the future!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

~Azure129


End file.
